New Suffolk Public Schools Superintendent Dr. John B. Gordon recently asked a group of 60 or so community businesspeople how many of them are in the career they thought they’d have in middle school.

Around four of them raised their hands.

If that statistic holds true for today’s generation, few of the local students who attended Saturday’s 2019 College and Career Readiness Fair will wind up in the professions they are currently contemplating and give as an answer whenever grown-ups ask (incessantly), “What do you want to be when you grow up?”

However, whether or not the students don’t ultimately take a career they’re currently considering, the event is a great way to get the young people thinking about the answer, considering new options or motivating themselves to do all the things they need to do to achieve their goals.

The fair included Suffolk Public Schools specialty programs, college and career exhibitors and the military. Workshops were held on planning for high school and college, preparing for tests like the ACT and ACT, college sports, unusual career paths, financial aid and navigating the high school years for parents.

In other words, the fair gave students and parents all the information they need — to not only survive high school but also to thrive in it; to use their high school years to set themselves up for success; and what to do after high school.

King’s Fork Middle School guidance counselor Sarah Catlett gave perhaps the best testimony for the program: Career Services for Success owner Soquya Blizzard, who attended the fair as a student years ago, was back as an exhibitor with her own business.

Students also gave the fair and their high school programs rave reviews. We appreciate the school division putting on this fair and think it’s an important part of the recipe for success for our students.