What’s Right with our Schools: Dalton Academy Career Fair

DALTON, Ga. (WDEF) — It’s a question we’ve all heard throughout our lives: “what do you want to be when you grow up?” Dalton Academy is helping its students answer that exact question through a series of career fairs.

It’s another excellent example of what’s right with our schools.

Maria Ramirez is a senior at Dalton Academy. “When we are setting this job fair up, we think about what our community, what our school, what our students need to know; or what is important for them to know that is around them,” she said.

Jackie Osegeuda is the HR Coordinator for Mohawk Industries. She said, “It’s good to know that these job fairs are being done, so that students have an idea that there’s more to offer than just … the little stuff that they know.”

“We want our students to know that there’s these jobs available,” Ramirez said. “There’s these colleges here GNTC, Dalton State that you can go to… You have a future here.”

Workforce Development Specialist for Shaw Industries, Colton Taylor said, “I think it’s an amazing thing that kids come out at an early stage, and they learn what opportunities that they do have. At Shaw Industries, most people think we just do carpet. But actually, we have so much more. We have a banner here that talks about a list of the employment opportunities from engineering to lawyers, nurses, all the different opportunities that most people don’t know about. And it’s not true: it’s not your mom’s old mill.”

Isabel Vela is also a senior at Dalton Academy. Vela said, “With the Spanish kids finding new opportunities, it makes them realize that there is a place for them here, to find new things to do. And it shows they have the different colleges here, GNTC and Dalton state. And it also has the different carpet mills, like Shaw Industries and Mohawk and Engineer Floors. It just gives them a place, that there is something here for them.”

A Dalton police officer told the students, “It is a lot of work, I’ll tell you that. Policing is not easy. It’s something I learned every day on the job, even being in the school system. I learned something every day.”

“Our goal is to show these people that they have people that love and care and will support them in different formats. All these people will help us in different ways,” Ramirez said. “Latin American Association can help me go look for a lawyer for my mom’s case. Buying a house can help me, one day, to buy my mom a house here in the United States. All these people are going to … have an impact in our life in a way. So that is our goal: to let these students know that hey, you’re not alone. Yes, it’s harder if you’re new to the country. It’s hard, but we have this community that loves and will support us, and will care for us no matter how long.”