April 12, 2022

Preparing students for life beyond high school is an essential part of any education. At Fairview High School, eleventh grade students have a unique opportunity to learn more about what path they might take in life, thanks to the Junior Experience program.

The Junior Experience program kicks off at the beginning of the second semester for 11th-grade students. As part of the experience, juniors must choose to research opportunities available in college, career, or in the military. At the end of the semester, each junior student is required to present to a group of peers and staff about their experience. The program has been available at the school since 2017.

“Not every kid wants to go to college, and there are a lot of students that have life and career goals that follow an untraditional path,” Chris Honeck, associate principal at Fairview High School, explained. “It hones in on what a student really wants to do and what they are good at.”

Students interested in a college pathway must visit four colleges, universities, or trade schools to learn more about each institution's academics and campus life. Students interested in joining a trade or career after high school must log 40 hours of job shadowing in an area they are interested in pursuing. Juniors interested in joining the military must interview recruiters from three of the six military branches and become familiar with each branch's requirements, enlistment, and scholarships.

Each junior is given a variety of questions to ask as part of their Junior Experience research. Near the end of the second semester, juniors are permitted to work on finalizing their research and must present to a group of 35 to 40 peers and adults what they learned.

“That’s the best thing about it is the presentation at the end,” Honeck expressed. “They communicate in front of a large group of students and adults about what their experience was like. The other kids sit there and listen to each other and are like, ‘I didn’t think of that,’ or ‘I like that,’ or ‘I should have asked that question.’”

Jason Morris, a senior at Fairview, used his Junior Experience last year to investigate opportunities in the trades, specifically in Heating Ventilation and Air Conditioning, or HVAC. Morris knew he wanted to go into a hands-on career after high school, and the Junior Experience connected him to local businesses and provided experience for his resume. He is currently finishing up his senior year in the HVAC program at Polaris Career Center.

“Having strict days when we were doing [Junior Experience] kind of made it easier,” Morris said.  “If we wouldn’t have had that, I probably wouldn’t have gone out and done it myself. Having those days made it easier because now it’s not as much stress to find a job. I know what everything is, and I know what I want to do. And if I do want to switch, I know where I can apply to go do bigger things.”

Another critical component of the Junior Experience is the annual Career Fair, hosted at Fairview High School. The fair highlights a variety of careers, businesses, and military branches for students to discover. The event is open to all students in grades 6 through 12, but juniors must attend the event.

“Our students bring the pre-loaded questions to ask for the companies there,” Honeck explained. “If you’re not a junior, we ask that you grab five pieces of literature and incorporate that into a current lesson in the classroom. How would you connect that real-life experience to what you’re learning in the classroom right now?”

The Junior Experience has resulted in graduates being more prepared for whatever pathway they take after high school. In addition, it provides these students a crucial first step to discovering what the future might hold for them.

“It’s a resume-builder,” Honeck explained. “Your average high school junior isn’t going to have this kind of experience on their resume or college application. And it’s a great way to network and meet those people.”

PHOTO CAPTION: The 2022 Career Night featured over 80 vendors in the high school gymnasium, and was a required for juniors as part of their experience to attend.