In today’s day and age, many students are not properly prepared for the “real-world” and the challenges they will face. It may seem mindless to think teenagers need assistance picking out clothing or presenting themselves properly in a professional setting, but minors can’t have that knowledge if they were never taught.

In Mrs. Tomko’s Intro to Business class, students are taught how to make a resume and successfully pass a job interview. One project in particular caught the attention of many throughout North Arlington high school. Mrs. Tomko described the assignment by stating, “We started the class with researching careers; students developed cover letters, resumes, and thank you letters and did all kinds of preparation for what would be the actual process of going through job applications.”

Not only did the students learn how to find a job and convince the employer that they are the best for the job on paper, but they were also taught how to interact during an actual interview. Random teachers were asked to volunteer and conduct interviews emulating the role of a prospective employer. This served the purpose of making the students aware of the types of questions that may be asked during the interview process. Most participants can attest that it definitely helps one’s nerves to practice before the actual interview.

In addition to practicing their interviewing skills, according to Mrs. Tomko, “Students also had a competition where they learned to tie a tie.” Positive feedback was given by all of the participants regarding this learning experience. Megan Garretson agrees that this class will help her in the future, “I think it was a useful life lesson so that one day I could help my husband or sons tie their ties.” Michael Ciaston stated, “I believe that the class will help me in my career path and the project taught me new skills to prepare me for my future.”

This class is a great opportunity for learning pivotal real life skills and every student at NAHS should take it! Remember the words of Will Rogers, “Even if you’re on the right track, you’ll get run over if you just sit there.”