Published: November 10, 2007 12:05 am      

Future Fair

Effingham High School sophomore Rupal Patel wants to plan ahead. That’s why she’s not waiting until her senior year to consider various career options.

“I want to know what to do with my future now and not just sit around and wait until my senior year,” Patel said.

Patel was one of hundreds of students who attended the 14th annual Future Fair at the Effingham Knights of Columbus Building Nov. 1.

More than 100 career representatives lined a huge meeting room at the K of C Building. Students from high schools — and even junior highs — from Effingham and surrounding counties were able to visit with representatives from many fields.

Career representatives came from such diverse fields as agriculture, communications and media, community service, computer information and technology, creative arts, engineering, health care, office and professional services, skilled trades and teaching.

Altamont High School senior Elizabeth Fairbanks, who is interested in elementary education, said she used the fair as a fact-finding exercise.

“This gives me information about college and what career I might want to go into,” Fairbanks said.

Retired Unit 40 teacher Janet Henderson, who staffed the elementary education booth, said it was her mission to share the gospel of elementary education’s desirability as a career.

“We are really adamant about talking to kids,” Henderson said. “We think young people need to have more information about teaching as a career.”

In a booth next to Henderson, Eastern Illinois University admissions counselor Denise Lee said she was there as a clearinghouse for educational information.

“They (students) go out and talk to different people about careers,” Lee said. “We can help them get to those careers.”

Pat Copple, program coordinator with the sponsoring Greater Effingham Chamber of Commerce & Industry, said students from throughout the county have shown increased interest in the fair since it began in the early 1990s.

“We want to give them an opportunity to see what programs and careers are in this area,” Copple said. “We also wanted to give them an idea about what training is needed.

“We’ve had a steady interest of attendance from students at all the area schools,” Copple added. “It used to be just EHS and St. Anthony but now we have all the county schools involved.”

Copple added students from Stewardson-Strasburg and Neoga also are involved.

The fair was co-sponsored by the Effingham Daily News, Lake Land College, Consolidated Communications, Effingham Noon Rotary Club, Effingham Knights of Columbus and Effingham County Farm Bureau.

Bill Grimes can be reached at 217-347-7151 ext. 131 or bill.grimes@effinghamdailynews.com.