MARINE CORPS RECRUIT DEPOT/EASTERN RECRUITING REGION PARRIS ISLAND, S.C. -- -- Parris Island recently played host to 29 local high schoolers during the Rotary Career Day. This is the sixth year the three local Rotary Clubs have teamed with five local high schools to give juniors and seniors the chance to explore a career by shadowing a professional.
Guidance counselors chose students who had real interest in job fields and the students were given the opportunity to find out the ins and outs of a profession by shadowing someone in that career field and learning a little about exactly what the profession involves, said Bob Lantz, event coordinator and Beaufort Rotary Club member.
"We hope this will enable the students to make wise decisions about their careers," said Lantz. "Whether they are still for or against the career they thought they were interested in, afterwards they'll get a better understanding about the job they're shadowing."
After meeting their sponsors, students learned about careers from firefighting, food service and everything in between aboard the Depot. They said the experience taught them a lot about the careers.
Sacorra Bilbrew, a Battery Creek High School junior, began the day with aspirations of being a physical therapist, but after shadowing Lt. Jim E. Cowan, Branch Medical Clinic physical therapist, she said realized her passion was for something else.
"I had a lot of fun and I learned a lot about the duties of the job, the requirements and the schooling involved," said Bilbrew. "At first I thought all I wanted to do was become a physical therapist, but after finding out about the job, I realized it was not exactly the job I thought it was. [Cowan] helped me realize what I really wanted to do is a job like physical therapy, but dealing more with rehabilitation. Shadowing him was great and probably saved me a few years in college finding out now that I don't want to be a physical therapist."
Beaufort High student Sara Nonce also shadowed Cowan and she said the day confirmed her choice to be a physical therapist.
"Going into the day, I wasn't really sure what kind of medicine I wanted to practice," said Nonce. "But now, I know without a doubt physical therapy is exactly what I want to do."
Event coordinators said the day was a success and are looking forward to Career Day 2003.