Those who spoke Thursday – including nurse Mark Reynolds, part-time photographer and Calhoun administrative assistant Carla Swinney, pharmacist Jeb Jones, baker Suzanne Schrimsher and Athens Police Sgt. David Whitt – think career coaching is a good idea.

“The career counselors are part of Superintendent Dr. Barry Carroll’s vision for middle school students, said Tanner High Graduation Coach and Counselor Deana Young.

“We plan to have a career counselor come two times during summer school,” she said. She stressed that career counseling has to be an ongoing process.

“We have found that career counseling has to continue more than three months or it does not work for the students,” she said.

A career counselor first helps students identify their interests and then helps them find the educational background or skills needed to find a job they will enjoy, which makes life better.

The message to students Thursday seemed to be: find out who you are and what you like.