With a mission to illuminate diverse career paths, the Christel House College & Careers program provides opportunities for students to explore options from an early age. Working professionals were invited to share their job experiences with Christel House students. "You have to see it and hear it from the people who are doing it to actually know it exists,” says Kara Moreland, Indianapolis College & Careers Administrator, “and see if it interests you or not."
Harry Guest La Vercombe, coordinator at Christel House Mexico, agrees. “Students need to see themselves in the professions they want to pursue. It’s a crucial element of identity development. The more stories they can hear and relate to, the more activities they can accomplish successfully, the clearer their vision, and the path to that vision can be for each student.” Over 150 volunteers participated in Professions Week at Christel House Mexico. “We had some of everything from barbers to CEOs to laboratory researchers, actuaries, IT specialists, psychologists, and of course, members of our own Christel House Mexico board,” says La Vercombe. “A few highlights were the director of a retirement center, a voice actor, and a veterinarian who brought in stuffed animals for first graders to practice with.”
Meanwhile, at Christel House Jamaica, Guidance Counsellor Renae Raymond, spearheaded Career Week with 27 special guests across various fields for kindergarten to Grade 5 students. The theme, Dare to Dream S.T.E.A.M., underscores the importance of nurturing interests in Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics. Raymond emphasizes the significance of Career Week in igniting students' passion for learning. “It helps to broaden their imagination and dreams as well as to empower our learners to think and dream about their future career choices.” On the final day, students dressed up in career costumes, wrote what they want to be when they grow up, and shared their job choices with classmates on a special Career Wall.