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MBSR CAREER DAY - A HANDS ON EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCE FOR HIGH SCHOOL SENIOR STUDENTS
Career Day is a half-day job shadow experience for 150+ high school seniors from Dana Hills and Aliso Niguel High Schools. The high school counselors from each school fully endorse this program. They enthusiastically support the hands-on career learning experience because it fulfills one of their key goals in assisting and preparing their students in determining their future career endeavors. Plus, the senior high school students value the job shadow 1/2 day.
As quoted in "The Growling Wolferine" student newspaper of Aliso Niguel High School, senior Matt Reiser stated, "The program is important because it takes the theories we learn in school and applies them to real life." Senior Riley Sims said, "I think that we are very fortunate to have the job shadowing program because I feel that it really helped us decide which majors to pursue in college."
The entire Monarch Beach Sunrise Rotary active (40) membership is committed and actively participates in Career Day along with an additional 35+ private and public businesses volunteering their time and energy to help educate the senior high school students regarding their career interest.
Career Day planning begins in September with the beginning of the high school academic year. The Vocational Chair and key Vocational Service Committee members of Monarch Beach Sunrise Rotary closely work with the High School Counselors over the next 2 months to select the senior high school students and receive input as to the career choices the students have interest.
Simultaneously, our Club members are preparing for Career Day with the recruitment of a key note speaker for the Career Day breakfast kick off, recruiting local private and public businesses to participate, coordinating student transportation services, coordinating background checks for all business participants in order to participate in the job shadow experience, coordinating the breakfast kick off festivities, planning the luncheon at the end of the job shadow period and finally matching the students with the appropriate business and Rotarian/business person for a great job shadow experience. The Career Day is scheduled to take place in November during the Rotary International Vocational Service month.
Career Day consists of a fabulous Kick-Off Breakfast with audio-visual materials, music, singing, decorated room/tables, keynote speaker and an overview of Rotary. Following breakfast, the students go with their business leaders for the job shadow experience. The job shadow experience culminates with a luncheon for the students to share their job shadow experience.
Dr. Joe Farley, Superintendent of the Capistrano Unified School District, Chris Carter, Principal of Aliso Niguel High School, and Dr. Jason Allemann, Principal of Dana Hills High School, support our annual Career Day and have thanked our club many times for the value that this "hands on" experience gives their students.
The project funds are used to pay for breakfast & meeting room costs of the high school students, the volunteer private and public business representatives, high school counselors and high school administrators, local dignitaries including the Mayors of Dana Point, Aliso Viejo and Laguna Niguel, media representatives, District Governor and District guests, etc. In addition, the monies are utilized to pay for the lunches of the high school seniors and all job shadow business participants. Plus the hard copy materials as the programs and decorations.
You may read a summary of last year's Career Day, view videos and photos from this past event at http://www.monarchbeachrotary.com/vocational-day.shtml
The Career Day takes place every year during the month of November, Rotary International Vocational Service month. This year, the event is scheduled for Wednesday, November 20. The Career Day committee is already working on this fabulous project by sending letters to the local business leaders and Rotarians asking for their volunteer participation in the Career Day.
The public relations campaign includes invitations to the local media, the Dana Point News and the Laguna Niguel News, the local newspapers that cover Dana Hills High School. The representatives will be invited to attend Career Day and will be asked if a student/students can job shadow them. It is hoped from the media representatives active participation in Career DAy that articles will be features in these newspapers. Press releases will definitely be sent to these newspapers regarding the upcoming Career Day and press releases regarding the Career Day student experience. Plus, Cox Communications, the south Orange County cable provider will be invited to attend and provide student job shadow experience. In addition, MBSR will ask to be part of their Community Relations show to talk about the Career Day with job shadow students. In addition, MBSR has an award winning website where the Career Day will be featured before and after the event along with coverage on Facebook and twits on Twitter.
The MBSR Career Day is one of our best Rotarian events of the year!!!
Addendum to Project Description (added after the project was signed)
The Career Day takes place every November. This year, the Career Day is scheduled for Wednesday, November 20, 2013. Our committee is already sending out invitations for Rotarians and business leaders to volunteer their time to provide the students with job shadow experience.
The public relations/marketing campaign will consist of sending press releases and personal invitation to the local press, including the Dana Point News and Laguna Niguel News representatives to attend our Career Day festivities. In addition, we invite these representatives to volunteer in the Career Day and provide students with job shadow experience with the anticipation that a special feature article will be generated in their local papers. Plus, we will invite Cox Communications, the cable provider for south Orange County to come and share in the job shadow experience and hopefully have the opportunity to be on their community show that educates their cable subscribers to community events...plus, possibly feature the students on their TV show to educate the cable subscribers about the MBSR Career Day and the job shadow experience. In addition, we have an award winning website where the Career Day will be featured along with announcements on Facebook and Twitter.
The MBSR Career Day is a Rotary event and is one of our best and greatest Rotary events for the calendar year!!
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