Burlington students hear about different careers

BURLINGTON — Students at Burlington Elementary got a chance to see the possibilities the future may hold for them on Friday.

The school hosted a Career Day event, featuring more than 20 guests who shared their background with the students and told them about their experience on the job.

Guests ranged from political figures, such as Lawrence County Commissioner DeAnna Holliday and South Point Mayor Jeff Gaskin, to members of law enforcement like South Point Police Chief Chris Mahjer, whose daughter attends the school, and Lawrence County Sheriff Jeff Lawless, to a range of fields, including dentistry, teaching and the medical profession.

“You never know how much it means to these kids to have you come in and tell your story,” assistant principal Michael Clay told the visitors before bringing the students in the gymnasium. “We hold this event to tell them it doesn’t matter where you came from. You can be what you want to be and follow your dreams.”

Before starting the event, Clay read a proclamation from the Lawrence County Commission, brought by Holliday, recognizing the school’s teachers as part of the national celebration of Teacher Appreciation Week.

He then told told the students that the assembly was about “the journey.”

“It’s about ‘How does a person get from where you are to where they are?’” he said.

Clay kicked off the presentation with his own biography, representing educators.

“My story begins exactly where you are,” he said. “I grew up in South Point and lived on Sand Road for 23 years.”

Clay said, as a child, he had no idea what he wanted to be when he grew up — until an experience in high school pointed him on his career path.

“I had an opportunity to go to South Point Elementary and teach about chemistry,” he said. “I saw the light bulbs when the kids were able to finally understand things.”

Clay said, from there, he went on to study and become a teacher in math and computer science, before becoming an administrator, which led to his current position.

Lawless, on the other hand, said he knew early on that he wanted to work in law enforcement.

“As a kid, I would make arrests on my sister and brother,” he said.

He told the students that there was a wide range of opportunities available to them.

“You can be anything you want to be,” he said. “Don’t let anybody tell you that you can’t.”

Gil McClanahan, a television reporter for Eyewitness News on WCHS and WVAH, asked the students how many watched the news, drawing a large show of hands.

“That’s awesome,” he said. “I have fond memories of how, when I was your age, I would watch the news on the couch with my grandfather.”

He said, however, he originally wanted to be a baseball player.

“Until I found out I had no talent for it,” he said.

Initially, McClanahan said he was drawn to journalism in college, when he got the idea that “talking on TV” would be an easy path.

“I got a rude awakening, though,” he said. “Broadcasting is not easy. In fact, it’s very difficult.”

He said he was “bitten by the broadcasting bug,” and stuck with and enjoys his profession.

“I get to interview a lot of famous and well-known people and I get to tell people stories about people who have overcome difficulty to accomplish things,” he said.

The students also heard from two brothers, Robert Payne, a certified public accountant, and Jim Payne, an attorney.

Robert said accounting “is probably the most boring job up here,” and said he originally wanted to be a music teacher.

He said he was looking for a career in which he could be financially successful and, knowing he enjoyed math, was drawn to his profession.

“I help a lot of people,” he said. “Especially with tax returns.”

Jim described his work as a lawyer as “getting paid to argue with people.”

“But there’s more to arguing than stomping your feet or pushing people around,” he said. “You have to argue with your brain.”

He told students they need to be able to back up their arguments.

“If you’re good, you win,” he said. “And, if you win, you make a lot of money.”

But he said the money is not the reason he enjoys the job.

“Helping people is the most important thing, and I like that,” he said.

Mike Pleasant, a retired physical education teacher and coach from South Point schools, told the students that, 58 years ago, he was sitting at Burlington Elementary as a student.

“I always knew I wanted to play and have fun,” he said. “There’s nothing like P.E. You can have fun if you act right.”

He said the key thing to remember is that “attitude is everything.” He told students to remember “we’re all in this together.”

Pleasant’s impact as a teacher was evident in another guest, Travis Wise, who teaches physical education and coaches basketball at South Point High School.

“One of the reasons I do what I do is because of that gentleman right there,” he said of Pleasant.

Wise said he didn’t start as a teacher and that it was possible to change professions.

“When I was 38 years old, I quit my job and went to school,” he said.

After graduating, he was hired at South Point in 2013.

He said the most important thing he does as a coach is checking the players’ grades.

“You have to have the grades,” he said and, like many of the speakers, advised the students to “Stay in school.”

Following the biographical presentations, the guests stuck around, meeting with the students for one-on-one questions, before being treated to a lunch at the school.