Republic High School holds special day for students to learn life skills and prepare for career paths

REPUBLIC, Mo. (KY3) - There’s an ‘ol sayin’ that started way back in the 19th century about the importance of the 3 R’s being taught in school: Reading, wRiting, and aRithmetic.

But some have always argued that the traditional subjects taught in schools don’t always prepare youngsters for the real-world challenges they’ll face in life.

And that’s why Republic High School came up with a “Student Conference Day,” that’s kind of like a career day with basic life skills thrown in as well.

For instance, one of the sessions offered to students was how to change a tire, which happens to be a pretty important life skill if you think about it because that could happen to any car owner at any time throughout their lives.

The other life skill sessions taught students about self-defense, renting an apartment, test-taking strategies, time management, outdoor survival skills, finding the right college, finding financial aid for college, completing a job application, and driving safely.

Local professionals also discussed various career opportunities like law enforcement, computer science, construction, culinary arts, marketing, education, and real estate.

“With 65 guest speakers and our teaching staff, we want to see every kid, no matter what pathway they may choose, be successful post-high school,” said Republic High School Principal John Thompson. “And we also want them to learn some new skills that aren’t typically focused on in a math or history class.”

Emma Robinson, an RHS Senior, has already decided on her career choice but still found valuable topics to help her reach her goals.

“I am going into agricultural education,” Robinson said. “And some of the best sessions I’ve been able to go to are the ones that talk about college scholarships and application opportunities. I learned that no matter what your background is or where you come from, you’re still eligible for some kind of financial aid. It’s not just about meeting certain requirements. One of the sessions talks about the forms and what they mean, how to fill them out, and what they’ll do for us.”

Considering the changing nature of the workforce and the fact that more young people are not interested in traditional 9-to-5 jobs but want to be their own boss with flexible hours, Tuesday’s event also taught students how to get where they want to go.

“So if your main goal is to be independent and own your own business, there are several interim steps to get there,” Thompson explained. “You’re not going to end up in your dream career fresh out of high school, so that’s something that we program and design for them to think about. To say, ‘Hey, if this is my ultimate goal, where can I get some career experience that will transfer to where I want to be.’ A barber we had here comes to mind. He talked about starting out at a shop paying rent where they only kept 40 percent of what they made, and the rest went to the company they worked for. But eventually, they worked their way up to owning their own shop. And there are other places where you can network to eventually be where you want to be. But all that is a process that takes skill, development, and experience to get there.”

To report a correction or typo, please email digitalnews@ky3.com