Local Students Mingle with Career Mentors

Students from Fountain Valley's three high schools and one of its middle schools got a chance to pick the brains of local professionals Wednesday as part of the Fountain Valley Chamber of Commerce's sixth annual Student in Business Day.

"What we're trying to do is create a mentoring situation for these students," said Franck Bideau, chairman of the chamber's education committee. "If a student is interested in becoming a doctor, we pair that student up with a doctor so they can get a feel for how the profession is ... so they can see what it's like, the path to take, what a typical day is like. And you have some kids who don't even know what they want to do, so exposing them to different professions ... it gives them some tools so when they go through school, they'll pay more attention to what's important."

Before breaking off into their mentoring sessions, the group heard from local dignitaries and educators about the importance of education and of following their passion when it comes to career choices. This year's event was the first to include middle school students as well as high school students.

"We hope that we spark some interest, some long-term questioning on career paths that they might want to go into, and that they can understand how to get into a field, pursue it, enjoy it, and be a productive member of our workforce," said Sandra Crandall of the Fountain Valley School District's board of trustees, a former kindergarten teacher who also sits on the chamber's education committee. "From 5 years old on, these children can nail a career choice. Will that stick with them throughout their lives? Maybe not. But they all have some sort of vision of what they want to be when they grow up."