CBMS “Interview Day" Teaches Students Life Lessons

By: Suzee Crabtree, contributing writer

Chester Boren Middle School (CBMS) hosts another Interview Day to prepare students for the future.

Interview Day, which started four years ago, was formed to teach middle school students necessary life skills. Every student in the 7th grade prepares to interview for Cadet positions, Publications class, or with a person from the community in a career path they find interesting.

Mrs. Trisa Redington, CBMS counselor, organizes this event. “Middle school students are just beginning to think about the future and what careers they may be interested in.  This interview day will give them a foundation of knowledge about interviewing and allow them to ask pertinent questions about the career of interest,” Redington says.

Interview Day is a collaboration between Mr. Adkissons’s Career Connections class and Ms. Dickinson’s language class. Completion of Interview Day is a required assignment in which students earn a grade in language.

Redington surveys the students to observe which career fields interest them. This year she has brought people in from the following career paths: criminal justice, military, police, musician, SPED teacher, teaching/administration, construction, nursing/doctor, mental health professional, sales, cosmetology, photography and small business owner.

Redington hopes that Interview Day will teach the students a lot of important lessons, such as improving their interview skills, gaining information on careers and learning the importance of communication skills.

“I think speaking with someone and speaking in front of others are skills that are not given the attention needed because of today’s culture.  Students need to practice these skills, just like any other skill.  Also, this day helps students make connections with our community members,” Redington says.