Lansing Middle School students had the opportunity to explore real-world career paths during the school’s first-ever LMS Career Panel, held on December 17. The event expanded on ongoing career exploration efforts already taking place at LMS, including 7th and 8th grade career pathway presentations and the 8th grade Career Fair Fridays.
All grade levels participated during their midday study hall time, with the structure designed to be developmentally appropriate and engaging for students at each level. Sixth and seventh grade students rotated through six brief career chats, each lasting approximately five minutes, allowing them to hear from a variety of professionals and gain broad exposure to different career fields.
Eighth grade students were given the opportunity to choose two career sessions that were more interactive, allowing for deeper discussion, questions, and hands-on insight into careers of interest.
The panel featured a diverse group of professionals and alumni who shared their experiences, career journeys, and advice:
Lansing Veterinarian and Veterinary Technician
Preferred Health Physical Therapist
Anytime Fitness Personal Trainer and Gym Manager
Nurse and former LMS student
Medical student and former LMS student
A special thank you goes to LMS counselors Becky Wecas and Emerald Peters, who organized the event and helped coordinate the presenters and schedule to create a meaningful career exploration experience for students. Their work ensured students not only heard from a variety of professionals, but also had opportunities to ask questions and make connections to their own interests and future goals.
Having former LMS students return to share their career paths provided an additional layer of inspiration for current students, reinforcing that the steps they are taking now can lead to a wide range of future opportunities.
