L’Observateur / March 31, 1999

For the past three years the St. James Parish Public School System,along with many St. James Parish supporters, have workedcooperatively to sponsor Career Paths ’96-’98 for seventh- and eighth-grade students in St. James Parish.This year, Career Paths ’99 was held March 3 at St. James JuniorHigh School in Vacherie.

The purpose of Career Paths ’99 was to give students an opportunity to get a glimpse into the careers of successful adults working in business, industries and other professions, to develop an awareness of the connection between school work and the world of work and to provide information that would assist them in high school curriculum planning.

This year’s theme “Preparing to Soar into the New Millennium” was recounted by Cynthia Mitchell, the keynote speaker, in the general session. Mitchell, a graduate of Lutcher High School and SouthernUniversity and employee of Dupont Dow Elastomers, challenged each student to begin today to plan and prepare for the millennium.

She stated, “The journey is within you. Set your goals, develop a planfor attitude management, learn that you have choices and consequences, be flexible and diverse and strive to understand the difference between setbacks and failures. The future is yours, makeit a bright one.”Student representatives from Lutcher Junior High, Romeville Elementary, St. James Junior High, St. Peter Chanel and VacherieElementary culminated the general session by leading the students in singing “I Believe I Can Fly!” by R. Kelly.Following the general session, 28 presenters (seven from each of the four career clusters: engineering and technology, business and marketing, health and human services and arts and humanities) spoke to students in five 20-minute sessions on careers previously selected via a survey. Additionally, other presenters demonstratedcareer and self-development skills, provided information on post- secondary training and displayed resources produced by business and industry in the expo located in the gymnasium.

All students were attired in appropriately designed career T-shirts that were funded through contributions from St. James Parish SchoolBoard, St. James Parish Economic Development Department, Zen-NohGrain Corp., Chevron Chemical Co. LLC and LaRoche Industries, Inc.The organizers, Jacquelyn Brass, supervisor of grades seven through nine, and St. James Parish counselors, said they want to thank allpersons, businesses and industries involved in the successful implementation of Career Paths ’99.

As the guest speaker told the students, “Remember, The road to success is always under construction.”

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