2019 Alumni Presenters at Pojoaque Valley High School 3rd Alumni Career Day. Photo by Jolene Trujillo

Year 2 alumni presenters at the Pojoaque Valley High School’s 3rd Annual Alumni Career Day. Photo by Lenore Trujillo

BY LENORE TRUJILLO
Language Arts Teacher
Pojoaque Valley High School 

Pojoaque Valley High School students had the opportunity Thursday, Feb. 7 to learn about 31 different possible careers.  What was unique about this Career Day was that all of the presenters were Pojoaque Valley High School graduates. This was the third annual event, which was the brainchild of PVHS teacher Susan Quintana who has taught most of the presenters within her 29-year teaching career. After the success of the first event in March 2017, a Pojoaque Valley Alumni Group was created to help reach out to more PVHS alumni and organize the next events.

Mrs. “Q”, as students lovingly call her, felt the need to show current PVHS students that the quality of education they were receiving at Pojoaque Valley was an excellent springboard to higher education and excellent careers.  College and Career Readiness is part of the school’s mission. Mrs. Q felt that it was “imperative for students to know that Pojoaque has many graduates that have gone on to do great things!”

This year there were more than 40 Pojoaque alumni presenters ranging from the Class of 1978 to the Class of 2013.  Presenters traveled from all across New Mexico and as far away as Alamosa and Denver, Colo., and El Paso, Tex., to participate.

The format of the afternoon event was that students could select three career presentations to attend from the list of 31 careers, which this year included an FBI Victims Specialist, Fireman, Doctor, Nurse, Engineer, Musician, Beauty/Spa Salon Owner, Real Estate Agent and Fitness Trainer/Gym Owner just to name a few.  Presentations were 30 minutes each with the alumni presenter giving background info on their time at Pojoaque to description of their career, training, and education with a follow up question and answer session afterward.

Feedback from the students was extremely positive.  “Today I talked to a psychologist, an accountant, and a Southwest Airlines employee.  All of them were great, but I really enjoyed the Southwest Airlines presenter. The presenter really loves her job, and the way she described it, I think I might love it too.  It has all these benefits such as a stable 401k account, flexible schedule, and free flights. I’ve really been interested in this since last year,” reflected Brittany Arroyo, a PVHS Junior.  

Students enjoyed the career day and many expressed that they would like the event to be all afternoon or all day in order to go to more than three career presentations.   Looks like “great things” are indeed happening at Pojoaque!

Year 1 alumni presenters at the 3rd Pojoaque Valley High School Career Day. Photo by Lenore Trujillo