LAFAYETTE — Tuesday morning, KATC's Photojournalist Josh Moton and Multimedia Journalist Paris Flannigan participated in the UL Upward Bound Program Career Day. The event gives students the platform and resources to succeed in secondary education. KATC spoke with students who say they were inspired and had a better idea of what they plan to pursue after high school.
"You have to have a lot of connections with the people that you meet here and just have so many relationships, so in the future, if you ever need help, you have those connections," said Kenya Argueta, an upcoming senior from Northside High school.
Argueta, a senior at Northside High School, was one of a hundred students in the UL/ Upward Bound Trio Program who attended a career day to learn from 11 panelists, including attorneys, entrepreneurs, bankers and journalists representing KATC TV 3, Acadiana's News Channel.
The panelists gave advice, encouragement and a blueprint for networking skills.
"It's the process; how do I get through depression, how do I get through people telling me I can't do it, how do I keep on pushing? That is the message I wanted to get through to the kids," said Shawn Bernard, a local comedian and businessman.
Argueta, an aspiring immigration lawyer, says the event gave her hope, but it also gave her inspiration from a role model who was not on the panel.
"My mom is a strong, strong woman, and I looked up to her and want to do more because she never had this opportunity," said Argueta.
Argueta was not the only other student taking advantage of Career Day.
Seniors Comani Bonnet and Cameron Clark both took some notes and shared why career day is important.
"It's always best to take the opportunities that are given to you, and success is your limit, so always push yourself to the best that you can," said Bonnet.
"You have to learn from greatness to be great. If you are around broke people, you will become broke, but if you are around genius people, you will become a genius, so being around these people, I will be successful with my career," said Clark.
Every year, the Trio Upward Bound Program, a pre-college program launched in 1970, puts on its annual career day to get students interested in multiple career paths.
The program also gives high school students the whole college experience over six weeks during the summer.
"As participants in the Upward Bound Program, we encourage students to pursue a four-year degree and beyond, and in doing so, we expose them to college-ready resources," said Dr. Crystal Vallier, Upward Bound Program director.
A lot of people talk about their successes, but they do not speak about their struggles; I like to talk about the struggles, like what made me get to the point where I am today," said Bernard.
Those conversations discussed gave students the confidence to pursue their goals.
The ceremony for the program will take place this Thursday at 5:30 pm at the Cajundome Convention Center.
