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Page 6C THURSDAY, MAY 21,2020
THE GEORGIA POST &THE BYRON BUZZ
Crystal Chauncey Tijah
Williamson Wimberly Woolfolk
CONGRATS
2020
Lanette Kobe
Thompson Towns
Justin
Tucker
Precious
Turner
Tyrese
Turner
Jenaejah
Walker
Matthew
Walker
Kyle
Walters
Productive ways to spend
the summer after graduation
Graduation is a momen
tous day in the lives of col
lege students. After years of
schooling that dates all the
way back to preschool or
kindergarten, newly minted
college graduates are finally
ready to begin their profes
sional lives.
That can be a scary pros
pect for some students, es
pecially those who graduate
without jobs lined up. The
summer after graduating
from college can be a time
like no other in the lives
of new graduates. It can
be easy to grow dejected
as weeks or months go by
without receiving a job
offer. But spending the
summer after graduation as
productively as possible can
help graduates overcome
any dejection they might
feel and increase their
chances of landing a job.
• Contact career services
offices at your alma mater.
Career services offices can
help recent graduates as
they look for their first jobs
out of college. Such offices
may have access to job and
internship opportunities
that grads do not. In addi
tion, they may coach grads
on interviewing techniques
and on ways to stand out in
crowded job markets.
• Seek internships. If part-
or full-time employment
is proving elusive, don’t be
afraid to seek and ulti
mately accept internships,
which can provide a way for
grads to get their foot in the
We're saying it
loud and proud:
Congratulations
& Best Wishes,
Class of 2020!
PUT GOD
FIRST!
Light in the
Darkness
Ministries
Peach, Crawford & Taylor
Counties (478) 542-4187
doors in certain industries.
Summer internships may
already be filled, so scour
job boards for fall or winter
internships.
• Start networking. Stu
dents who interned can
get in touch with their past
supervisors or mentors and
find out if the company is
hiring. Such people may
be more inclined to bring
someone with direct experi
ence onboard — even if that
experience was brief and
unpaid. In addition, grads
can connect with adjunct
professors who work in
their desired fields.
• When job hunting, don’t
get pigeon-holed by your
major. Just because a
student graduates with a
particular degree does not
mean he or she needs to
look for work in that field.
In fact, many companies
may prefer entry-level
applicants with degrees
that are not specific to their
industries so their new hires
are blank slates who can be
easily trained.
• Attend job fairs. While
other graduates may be
taking the summer off,
enterprising grads looking
for work should attend as
many job fairs as possible.
Graduates likely won’t leave
job fairs with employment
offers in hand, but job fairs
are a great way for grads to
meet hiring managers and
submit their resumes to
potential employers.
• Customize a resume for
every job. Be sure the cur
riculum vitae is not static.
Write and refine resumes
for each job you apply for,
mildly tweaking the word
ing or accomplishments
to address the key phrases
used in the job listing.
It can be tempting for re
cent college grads to spend
the summers after gradua
tion relaxing, but those who
spend that time produc
tively may lands jobs more
quickly than those who do
not.
Dear PCHS Class of 2020:
Congratulations! Your graduating class is persevering
through a moment in history that has defined who you
are during these challenging times. While we would
never have imagined your high school journey would
come to a close with schools shut down for the remain
der of your senior year, I am proud to witness your
perseverance as you move forward with true spirit and
resilience as the PCHS Class of 2020. You are at the
forefront of a shift to show that education can always
persist even when we are not in school.
As of now, your graduation ceremony has been
POSTPONED—NOT CANCELLED! I am hopeful we
will begin to see the health of our nation improve soon
as we work to make your graduation ceremony a reality.
In the event restrictions are lifted and large gatherings
are permitted and we can safely provide an in-person
graduation, we will be better able to provide a date. If
restrictions are not lifted, we will work to provide a
ceremony that will be appropriate for the current state
of affairs at that time.
The PCHS Class of 2020 will be remembered for
many things, but one thing is for sure, you will be
remembered for teaching us what is possible when
we unite and support each other. I am proud of all of
our seniors for your display of unity and perseverance
during these challenging times. “You may encounter
many defeats, but you must not be defeated. In fact, it
may be necessary to encounter the defeats, so you can
know who you are, what you can rise from, how you
can still come out of it.” Maya Angelou. You may very
well be remembered as the class that changed PCHS
forever.
You have earned a very special place in my heart and
I am humbled to serve as your superintendent. GO
TROJANS!
Sincerely,
Dr. Lionel Brown
Superintendent of Peach County Schools
Opportunities in engineering
Engineering is a vital com
ponent of many industries.
Engineers affect nearly every
aspect of daily life, and a
career in engineering can be
both fulfilling and financially
rewarding.
According to PayScale.com,
degrees in the STEM fields,
which focus on science, tech
nology, engineering, or math,
continue to be at or near the
top of the site’s College Salary
Report. Engineering seems
to be an especially lucrative
degree to have.
A high salary is certainly
enticing, but many profession
al engineers feel their jobs are
more than just a paycheck,
as overcoming the challenges
posed by a career in engineer
ing can lead to great personal
satisfaction.
The various disciplines
within the field of engineering
attract students from all walks
of life, making engineering
an attractive career path for
young people with an array
of skillsets and interests. The
following are just some of the
many potential career oppor
tunities for students who earn
degrees in engineering.
• Electrical and electronics
engineer: Electrical engineers
work on everything from com
puters to wireless networks to
automobiles and aircrafts.
• Chemical engineer: Chem
ical engineers work in various
industries, including pharma
ceuticals, petroleum, energy,
and manufacturing. Some
chemical engineers focus on
research, while others may
work on quality control or
safety procedures.
• Computer engineer:
Whether using their smart
phones, tablets, laptops, or
desktops, few people now go
a full day without using some
type of computer. They have
computer engineers, who
create and improve existing
computer technologies, to
thank for that. Computer engi
neers may focus their efforts
on wireless networks, the
internet or other systems that
businesses and people rely on
every day.
• Mechanical engineer:
Mechanical engineers are
involved in the research,
design and development of
machinery. Such machinery
may include medical devic
es, appliances people have
in their homes that they use
every day or turbines.
Becoming a professional
engineer requires years of
schooling, but the rewards
of such a pursuit can be well
worth the effort.
Congratulations Peach County
High School Class of 2020
Graduates - You made it!
The Class of 2020 has been a truly remarkable class
in all endeavors and you had to overcome so many ob
stacles to get here. Never before have I seen such a large,
diverse group of students who care so deeply about
each other. You have been there for each other through
triumph and tragedy. Your senior year did not end the
way you hoped for, but you have created memories that
will last a lifetime that this pandemic cannot take away.
As a 1989 Peach County High School Graduate, I am
very proud of all the Class of 2020 and how you have
handled these unfortunate circumstances.
Revel in this moment and take the time to thank all
who have been instrumental in helping you achieve this
milestone.
Harriet Tubman said it best, “Every great dream be
gins with a dreamer. Always remember, you have within
you the strength, the patience, and the passion to reach
for the stars to change the world.” Peach County High
School Class of 2020, it is your time to shine and change
the world.
Go Trojans!
Dr. Ken Hartley
What to know as an adult
heading back to school
College campuses are
diverse. Newly minted high
school graduates embarking
on the next stage of their
studies might dominate
college campuses, but many
established professionals who
have long since graduated
from high school are also
among the student bodies at
universities across the globe.
The National Center for
Education Statistics says
that one in five Americans
enrolled in undergraduate
higher education is at least 30
years old.
The changing face of high
er education should be a
comfort to adults who may
have been apprehensive
about heading back to school.
Adults considering a return to
school should not allow age
to deter them from enrolling.
Many people now complete
degrees later in life, while oth
ers return to school to study
subjects they did not study
during their first go-rounds as
college students.
Finding the right fit in regard
to a college is different for
adults than it is students right
out of high school. Responsi
bilities to family and employ
ers complicate the decision
about where to go to school.
The following tips can help
adults as they decide where to
continue their educations.
• Choose a school that
meets your needs. Look for
schools that can accommo
date priorities other than
academics, such as family and
work. Many schools now offer
flexible schedules and online
classes. Check out schools
with strong reputations for
working with adult learners.
• Sit down with a college
counselor. If you’ve been
in college before, pull your
transcripts and bring any in
formation about coursework,
credits and life experience.
This way you can be credited
for what you have already
accomplished. Counselors can
serve as invaluable resources
as you navigate a return to the
classroom.
• Brush up on the skills re
quired of successful students.
[you 1
for awhile, brush up on your
study skills, note-taking,
annotating, and other skills
that can serve you well in an
academic environment.
• Speak with your employer.
Many employers support em
ployees who want to return
to school, especially when
employees will be gaining
skills that are applicable to
their existing careers. Some
employees may even help
their employers finance their
educations. According to Mat
thew Reed, the vice president
for learning at Brookdale
Community College in Lin-
croft, N.J., roughly 90 percent
of midsize or large employers
offer some kind of tuition
reimbursement. Even when
that’s not available, some em
ployers may have an arrange
ment with certain schools
that provide discounts to their
workers, says Reed.
Adults returning to school
is becoming increasingly
common. Planning and mak
ing use of resources at your
disposal can help you navi
gate the process of returning
to school as an adult, school
graduates embarking on the
next stage of their studies
might dominate college cam
puses, but many established
professionals who have long
since graduated from high
school are also among the
student bodies at universities
across the globe.
The National Center for
Education Statistics says
that one in five Americans
enrolled in undergraduate
higher education is at least 30
vears old.