Students from North Lenoir High School were able to get a glimpse at their possible employment futures during Wednesday’s Shadow Day.
Some students were sure of their prospective career fields, while the Shadow Day provided options for those who were unsure of which path to take.
Three students spent time at the CSS Neuse Civil War Interpretive Center on Wednesday, where Jeff Bockert, east region supervisor for the state Division of Historic Sites, taught students about different types of history and historical interpreters.
He said job shadowing gives students access to parts of jobs that are below the surface.
“It allows students to see behind the scenes of a bunch of different types of activities and jobs. Too many times we see the storefronts or openings of museums, but we don’t see what people actually do with them,” Bockert said.
Chanel-Joy Seymour, 15, said she became interested in history after living in several different countries during her childhood.
“Seeing the way people of different cultures are now, made me interested in how they were before and the reason for the way that we are today,” she said
She said it’s a strong possibility that she will pursue a career in the historical field.
For Da-Mosi Brow, 17, it was his third time job shadowing and he said each time has been a different experience.
“This one has been one of the more memorable ones because it’s something that ties a lot more closely into what I want to do as a career,” he said.
He said he plans on pursuing a career in cultural anthropology, and learning about the history of various cultures will be important.
Garrett Yarbrough, 15, said he enjoyed the opportunities presented by job shadowing.
“It’s been great because I’m getting to see how certain jobs work, and it gives you a chance to see if it’s something you really want to do,” he said.
Two students got a chance to experience the legal system by shadowing Jon Sargent, an attorney with the Gerrans Foster & Sargeant law firm.
Sargeant said he has been participating with the job shadowing program for several years, and he sees it as a positive for students.
“I always think it’s nice to spend time with the high school students and give them a perspective of what real life might be like. I don’t think they get this in the classroom. Especially here in the courthouse, they can meet the judges, they can see the people operate the courthouse,” he said.
Katlyn Varnell is a student at North Lenoir and writes for the school’s online newspaper “The Hawks Quill.” She shadowed Free Press reporter Noah Clark on Wednesday.
Noah Clark can be reached at 252-559-1073 or Noah.Clark@Kinston.com. Follow him on Twitter @nclark763.