JHS students experience careers firsthand

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Eight seniors at Jefferson High School spent part of their senior year getting a taste of what the real world is all about.

The students are part of the Career Mentorship Connection, a program that pairs them with a mentor in the profession that interests them. The program features placement with a professional combined with the guidance of Wendy Watts, coordinator and teacher at JHS.

A banquet was held at Arrowwood Resort on May 15 to celebrate the success of the year-long program.

Their experiences

Tasha Everett mentored with Karen Dokter, a high school English teacher, and Dr. Dean Anderson and Dr. Todd Anderson in the field of dentistry. Her main focus is the field of dental hygiene. For her project, Everett researched the anxiety of patients as they came to the dentist office. She documented in the patients’ records how to help overcome the anxiety.

She will attend Lake Area Technical Institute in South Dakota for dental hygiene. She is the daughter of Shari McClure. Her favorite part of the mentorship was spending time in the dentist office and learning how an office works.

Abby Stauffer mentored with Bonnie Schnell, a 2nd grade teacher at Voyager Elementary School. Every day Stauffer helped the students with English assignments, individual reading, make-up homework, and observed the students if testing. Her project was learning about the effects of homelessness on students.

She plans on going to Alexandria Technical College to pursue a degree in business sales, marketing and management.

Stauffer’s favorite part of mentoring was seeing what the classroom is like through the teacher’s eyes, being around kids every day and helping them learn.

She is the daughter of Gregg and Sue Raisanen.

Sarah Holm mentored in occupational therapy and elementary education. For the first half of the year she spent her time at the Douglas County Hospital with Julie Olberding. She followed the occupational therapists, observing and helping with a variety of patients.

For the second half of the year, Sarah mentored at Voyager Elementary School (VES) with Chris Kuennen, 5th grade teacher, and Jill Stroup, occupational therapist. At VES Holm participated in hands-on activities in the classroom with the students. She gave spelling tests, taught a math lesson, and worked one-to-one with students who needed extra help. Holm’s final project was on written expression.

She plans on attending Northwestern College in Roseville for elementary education and special education.

She is the daughter of Dave and Lynette Holm.

Jessica Ronning mentored with Therese Serum, a fourth grade teacher, and Linda DeWitt, a special education teacher, both at Lincoln Elementary School (LES). She made an informative brochure on ball chairs – what they are and how they are used in the classroom, which will be provided to special education teachers and students.

She plans to attend Minnesota State University-Moorhead to pursue a double major in elementary education and special education.

Ronning’s favorite part of the career mentorship was meeting the kids and having a relationship with them and understanding they looked up to her. She also loved working with the great staff at LES.

She is the daughter of Barry and Mary Ronning.

Hannah Peterson mentored with Tom DeWitt at Dentistry at the Center. Every day Hannah followed the dentists, talked with the patients and learned something new and useful. For her project, Hannah prepared a handout for parents about dental anxiety in children and helpful tips to prepare their child for their first dental visit.

Peterson plans to attend University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire this fall in the pre-dental program. Her favorite part in the mentorship program was being able to get the hands-on experience working with patients and seeing their progress as an individual and their smile.

She is the daughter of Patty and Howard Peterson.

Rachel McGinn mentored with Dr. Brian Carlsen at the Alexandria Clinic and with Andrea Nelson, an athletic trainer, at the Alexandria Orthopaedic Associates. She spent time following them as they met with patients and in the operating room. For her project, Rachel did a case study on both-bone wrist fractures.

She plans to attend the University of North Dakota and major in biology. Her favorite part of the mentorship was seeing patients make progress and getting to spend time in the operating room.

She is the daughter of Mike and Kathy McGinn.

Danielle Reis mentored with Carol Messner at Knute Nelson Nursing Home, Lynn Johnson at Douglas County Public Health and Wendy Gunderson at Douglas County Hospital in the field of nursing. For her project she created a brochure on three of the programs offered by Douglas County Public Health. She also helped organize the Hospice supply closet there and prepared a brochure on the different locations registered nurses can work.

Reis plans to attend the University of North Dakota in Grand Forks to major in nursing. Her favorite part of the mentorship was interacting with a variety of patients and realizing that there are many different opportunities for nurses.

She is the daughter of Doug and Delene Reis.

Maddie Larson mentored with Mark Nelsen, a physical education teacher at Discovery Middle School and with Russ Craigmile, an elementary physical education teacher, at Lincoln Elementary School. She spent time seeing all the ways of keeping kids fit and active while also learning new individual and team sports. Her project involved how many minutes a week students get physical activity.

Larson learned that with the growing rate of obesity, we need to instill a healthy lifestyle at a young age. This coming fall she plans to attend Montana State University in Bozeman for health enhancement.

She is the daughter of Jim and Brenda Larson.

Tags: mentor, career, jefferson, high, school