THE PROGRAM

After a year’s hiatus, the Rotary Club of Norfolk’s long-standing Career Day program made a spectacular return under the leadership of Rotarians John Ehehalt and Stephen Lipskis, who thanked the many Rotarians who participated in the program that dates back decades. 

The March 10 club meeting was a lively one with more than 20 guests, including Norfolk Public High School juniors and seniors, parents and school staff members joining Rotarians for lunch and to hear Career Day highlights. 

Career Day paused last year as Rotarians and Norfolk Public Schools created a safety and risk management protocol that added required chaperones for all Rotarian and student visits. As they have for decades, public school students spent a day learning from Rotarians about careers they are considering and visiting workplaces that ranged from construction sites and a real estate firm to a medical school simulation lab and a police precinct. Students later wrote about their experiences, and a Rotary committee had the tough task of selecting four winning essays. 

Fields students are considering include engineering, physical therapy, psychology, law enforcement, architecture, medicine, social work, education and real estate. Rotarian Bob Heely, who headed Career Day for many years, read entertaining highlights from student essays, and said they were all “brilliant.” Their essays reminded Rotarians that the future is in good hands with the younger generation. 

Students wrote about how Career Day opened their eyes to options in their planned fields and confirmed they were on the right track with their career goals. They were impressed by the Rotarians they met and the restaurant lunches they enjoyed together. 

Four students read their winning essays:

Zanaayah Jones from Granby High School learned from Rotarian Rob Sult how working in real estate is about developing positive relationships plus knowing about marketing, finance, construction and development. She also learned about setting aside money to pay taxes. 

Pauline Santillan from Maury High School learned from Rotarian Laurie Harrison the importance of lifelong learning in her dream career of being a pediatrician and opening free clinics for children in the Philippines who lack access to excellent medical care. 

Izeya Singletary from Booker T. Washington High School highlighted his time spent with Rotarian Dave Charney, a retired state trooper. Their visit to a Norfolk police precinct solidified his determination to study law enforcement in college and then train to become a police officer. 

Adelaide McMurdie from Maury High School, who wants to become a physical therapist, found her visit with Rotarian Bob Heely to a geriatric physical therapy clinic to be eye opening. She was impressed by how therapists motivated their patients to work hard, be persistent and get better. 

THE MEETING

Two Maury students shared their musical talents as Adelaide McMurdie played the piano while Zackery Wilkerson led the lunch crowd in song. 

President Dave Duncan welcome new club member Chris Hogge, a financial advisor with Equitable Advisors. Marty Raiss is his sponsor. 

He announced that Suds & Buds tickets are for sale and the link is under the Events tab on the club website. The party will be on May 7 starting at 5:30 p.m. 

The club will sponsor a Discover Rotary event for prospective members at Wasserhund Brewing in Norfolk on March 19 at 5:30 p.m. The Companion Club will also have its meeting there at that time.