Mountain Area students take
part in job shadowing program
BY IRENE THIRLWALL - ITHIRLWALL@SIERRASTAR.COM

IRENE THIRLWALL
Students from Yosemite High School and Oak Creek Intermediate participated in a Rotary job shadow event, followed by a lunch at the Elk’s lodge, last week.

Students from Yosemite High School and Oak Creek Intermediate have had an opportunity during the last eight years to visit a local area business and shadow one or more of the employees of the business they are visiting. The Rotary Job Shadow day took place this past Wednesday, April 6, and about 50 students participated.

The students began in the morning and in groups of two, arrived at various businesses to see just what goes on in the real world.

“The goal is to allow students to learn about job opportunities and careers,” said Linda Robison, advisor of the Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) at YHS. “And what the requirements are in those careers, such as education and physical needs. The second goal is to allow the community an opportunity to interact with youth to act as a mentor or learn more about young people today.”

Robison said that students are asked if they would like to volunteer and then selected from that group of volunteers. About 25 YHS students participated this year.

This is the 10th time this event has taken place, as two years it was held twice. Robison said the students were each provided with a disposable camera from local photographer, Heidi Vetter, who then processes the film for free and provides each student with a small photo album to remember the day.

Robison, along with Doug Dearing, president of Oakhurst Sierra Rotary, and Dr. Bob Guizar, principal of OCI, has been involved with the job shadow day since its beginning.
Dearing said it was first established with the desire of how to get FBLA students involved in local area business and eight graders from OCI.

“Also to select students as rewards,” Dearing said. “Over the years we have asked certain businesses to participate.”

Dearing added that there were about 22 businesses this year and typically between 22 and 25 businesses participate. Some businesses have been desired for their specific features, such more women as business models and even retirees as examples of how business plays a part in retirement.

“We had Dale Miller, a retired fire chief and for the second year we had Troy West, executive director of Manna House,” Dearing said. “We wanted the students to see the motto of Rotary; ‘service above self’ and how people give out to the community. It was another great year, Rotary liked it because it was an emphasis on youth.”

Dr. Guizar said, “The rotary job shadowing event affords our students a valuable experience in the real world. It gives them the opportunity to see first hand what it takes to operate a successful business. They have the ability to ask questions of individuals that are experts in their fields. It is a fantastic opportunity for our students and I think it is a great experience for the mentors as well. Young people have a way of making you think about things in different ways.

“The mentors are busy, successful people who give of their time to help our students consider the possibilities of their futures. These are wonderful people and their efforts make our community a better place.”

After the morning filled with job shadowing and learning, the students and their mentors are invited to attend a lunch at the Elk’s Lodge and there the students and mentors share with everyone the experiences of the day.

One student recalled going to the dentist and how “gross and disgusting it was,” and her classmate who attended the same job recalled, it was awesome and, “now I just might want to be a dentist.”

Yosemite Joint Union High School District News