Wednesday was a day of firsts for York. While the juniors took the first state-mandated SAT, freshmen and sophomores attended the school’s first official College and Career Day, at least in recent years.

Students began the day by taking surveys in which they reflected on future goals and considered ways to achieve them. Throughout the day, they participated in a variety of sessions, including three keynote addresses from local professionals and graduates, a session about post-graduate options, and a career fair in the York Commons created by York’s Counseling Department with assistance from York’s PTSA.

On Mar. 2, York sent an email to families asking for volunteers from different professions, noting, “We would love to highlight careers and businesses of York parents.”

Mrs. Heather Saylor, chair of the Counseling Department, who was the primary organizer of the event, followed up with an email to faculty, asking if they “knew someone who is dynamic and would like to interact with roughly 1,400 students in the span of 2.5 hours.”

The community responded, and students had the opportunity to meet with close to 50 different volunteers from a wide range of professions, including law, business, health and wellness, psychology, medicine, law enforcement,  education, athletics, military and trades.

Most students agreed that the career fair was the best part of their day. In fact, many wanted more time and space, so they could visit more tables and meet an even greater variety of professionals.

“I think for the future, increasing the amount of jobs present, time in the career fair, and moving it to the Field House would be a good idea,” sophomore Molly Grasse said. “I personally thought the career day should have been focused on that. I felt that I had the most meaningful interactions there.”

Students were not the only participants who could see the value in the event, which provided beneficial information and insight to students as they begin to move into their high school years.

“As a parent, as well as an employee, I feel that this type of information for our students is timely, relevant and crucial,” York staff member and parent Lori McGee said. “Whether a student is college bound or headed into a vocational, military or apprenticeship program, today was great.”

See the photo gallery below for highlights from the day.