Students get a life

By Kim Swaney

L to R: Morgan Andres and Eddy Woodcock role-play with THD employee and Career Day volunteer, Margene Asay. Woodcock pretended to seek help based on the Life Event Card he received moments earlier. (Kim Swaney photo)

ST. IGNATIUS — The High School sponsored a Career Day with a twist - students were shown how to get a life. Each student researched career expectations and salaries for their ideal career as well as salaries for jobs at the minimum wage limit. Students then visited with various volunteers regarding financing homes, vehicles, paying for insurance and other things when the need or desire arises - just as it happens in life.

Brandi Chisolm of Ronan Telephone visited with students.

Rick Tameler, Western States Insurance discussed credit scores with students when looking at buying insurance - a real life factor that some may not realize impacts how much money a person will need to spend.

“Insurance rates are predicated by a person’s credit score,” offers Jamie Buhr, Valley Bank employee and Career Day volunteer.

Buhr, a Ronan High School graduate and Jim Blush, a St. Ignatius alum and Lake County Bank employee, both offered students options for purchasing and information regarding loans.

Marvin Cook seeks advice from Jim Blush of Lake County Bank, while Jamie Buhr of Valley Bank, offers his help too. (Kim Swaney photo)

Just when students thought they had the exercises in life down pat - they were handed a Life Event Card.

Life Event Cards consisted of both good and bad things that happen in life - perhaps they were having a baby, or needed to make a major purchase or perhaps their life wasn’t what it cracked up to be and they were suffering from being an alcoholic or drug abuser.

In the event that their Life Card said they were an alcoholic or drug abuser, the student then had to seek help from Tribal Health Department’s employee and volunteer, Margene Asay.

Asay role-played with the students, asking them their “history.” She showed students how to access services for their issues and encouraged all to wear a seat belt and to not smoke. Asay says if she can save the life of one person - it is worth it to continue promoting health and safety at events such as this.

Kicking Horse Job Corps Center and the State Apprentice Program were on hand to offer students information on training programs available to students when they are no longer in high school as a realistic training opportunity for their career choice.

Job Corps remains the only program in the nation that actually pays students to attend classes and participate in a career-training program.

Nick Herak, Herak Financial Services, attempts to explain that people have two ways to get money - people at work and money at work. (Kim Swaney photo)

Nick Herak, Herak Financial Services, spoke with the high school students about how to be financially responsible with money. In an ideal life, a person should save at least 15 percent of their income, says Herak, so people can purchase more stuff. Herak spoke of eroding factors regarding a person’s finances, saying that people have a propensity to consume, meaning the more they make, the more they spend.

At the end of the Career Day, organizer Terry Cable, St. Ignatius High School, appreciated the work students and volunteers displayed during the event and commended everyone for their involvement, saying having everyone buy into the concept makes their Career Day a success.
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