Winn-Worth Betco and the Lake Mills Chamber Development Cooperation partnered with the Lake Mills Community School to host a career exploration day with the high school students on April 13.
The partnership aimed to expose every freshman through senior to careers of their interest. Rachel Rognes, the LMSD counselor, sent out surveys to students to gauge their interests in specific occupations.
Based on the results, Winn-Worth Betco executive director Melissa Michaelis and LMCDC executive director Cassie Johnson gathered 11 local employers in the student’s fields of interest to give 45-minute presentations at the end of the school day.
According to Michaelis, the goal is not just to expose the students to careers but to “have the local businesses build relationships with the kids to let the kids know that you can do what you want in a small town.”
The students also had the opportunity to submit a question they wanted to be answered by the presenter. Those who did so were entered into drawings for Lake Mills Bucks.
The partners started this annual project, with the exception of 2020 and 2021 due to the pandemic, in 2017. The event has taken different angles, including in the form of panels.
This year is the first-time presenters had the opportunity to have their own rooms and more one-on-one discussion with the students. Michaelis noted that she and Johnson cannot always find professionals for all the careers students request but attempt to find a representative in a similar profession.
“I think it’s good to expose kids to the variety of jobs that are available in Lake Mills and the surrounding area and open their eyes to possibilities of living and working in Lake Mills after getting whatever training and education they want to pursue,” said Johnson.
