Students face their futures at 'Career Day'

So, what do you want to be when you grow up?

Eighth-graders at Corte Madera School in Portola Valley faced that question during a recent "Career Day," an opportunity for them to learn more about their interests and talents, said co-chair Mary Schaller.

Prior to the event, eighth-graders were polled on what careers interested them. Each student selected up to three careers from a list of nearly 100.

"There were even some write-ins," said co-chair Ted Pollock. "Personal shopper did not make the final cut."

Parents tallied the votes, and were surprised at what interested the kids. Many figured that students would pick teaching, or technology (since many parents work in that field), said Mr. Pollock. But the most popular choices were professional athlete, musician and restaurant owner/chef.

In preparation for Career Day, all eighth-graders took the Keirsey-Bates Personality Indicator Test, designed to increase awareness of their gifts and strengths.

At Career Day, each student was given the results and the opportunity to apply the knowledge during a group activity, led by Linda Alfano, a behavioral kinestheologist and part-time stand-up comedienne.

Panelists who shared their career path with the students were Carter Warr, a residential and commercial architect; criminal attorney Peter Goldscheider; inventor Bob Zider; American Airlines pilot Bud Eisberg; and Celeste Ford, an aeronautical engineer.

A second career panel featured Kurt Grote a gold-medal swimmer who is completing medical school; Ronnie Crawford, drummer for Lisa Loeb; James MacNiven, owner of Buck's restaurant in Woodside; and John Mumford, founder and managing partner of Crosspoint Ventures.

Among parents who organized the event were Bonnie Gemmell, Kathy Kennedy, Ted Pollock, Mary Schaller, Colleen Tate and Bruce Wilcox. Liz Landry, eighth-grade English teacher, and Chuck Krause, Corte Madera principal, coordinated school involvement.

Report by Kathy Kennedy of the Career Day Committee.