WAEF Students Preparing for the Future

Student career tours took place this week. We decided to change up the format a little bit for the spring tours. Instead of these being “exploratory” tours where students traveled together to discover fields or jobs they might have been previously unfamiliar with, custom tours were designed for each student based on their current career interests and majors.

We are so appreciative of all of the individuals and businesses that made this work! The interest and genuine excitement that greeted each of our requests for a student tour was remarkable. This week students met with doctors, toured with fieldmen and orchard managers, spent time with pilots, sat behind the bench with a judge, learned about the immigration process and much more. Students completed their tours expressing their gratitude for the gracious welcome they experienced and excitement for the future.

Tours occurred in Wenatchee on Tuesday and in Yakima Wednesday.

The tours were all scheduled to occur in the afternoon. Students met with WAEF staff over lunch to learn about their personal agendas for the day, share expectations and discuss potential scenarios that could occur while they were on their independent tours.

Students then set out on the unique tour pre-arranged for each of them. After their visits, they gathered again over dinner to discuss what they learned, how it affects their career planning and identify opportunities to utilize their new connections.

A BIG thank you to the following individuals and businesses that contributed time to WAEF students this week:

Chelan County District Court: Judge Kyle Mott (WAEF alumni)

Children’s Village: Laura Crooks, Ann Bugni, John Fielder, Itzel Carrillo

Columbia Valley Community Health: Ruben Betancourt, Karen Maqueda, Courtney Sackwar, Jerry Rangel-Morales

Corteva Agriscience: Jorge Villaseñor (WAEF alumni)

Hand in Hand Immigration Services: Vania Winters, Raul Moreno, Norma Gallegos

Jessica Esparza (WAEF Alumni)

Maria Soto (WAEF alumni)

Stemilt Growers: Tyson McInnis and John Heinrich

Sundquist Fruit: Andrew Sundquist

The Memorial Foundation: Erin Black

Van Doren Sales: Kathryn Sims

Virginia Mason Memorial Hospital: Dr. Heath Cobb

Washington State Patrol: Trooper John Bryant

Yakima Valley Farm Workers Clinic: Sandra Suarez

WAEF provides the career tours in support of the goal that all WAEF students graduate from college career ready. The next group opportunity for WAEF students occurs in late July when students will gather for summer workshops leading up to the Scholarship Celebration Luncheons.