CMHS Post-Secondary Fair Welcomes Hundreds of Students

Among those in attendance at the CMHS Post-Secondary Fair were PJ Singh (left), Admissions Counselor for the University of Maine at Machias, and Blake Collins, CHS Freshman. (Submitted photo).

By Lura Jackson

The first annual Calais Middle High School Post-Secondary fair was a roaring success with 425 students in attendance from area schools. The students had access to more than thirty vendors from across a wide spectrum, enabling them to explore the potentials available to them upon their graduation.

The organization of the event was a “school community effort,” guidance counselor Janice Rice said. CMHS and St. Croix Regional Technical Center students worked with the maintenance department to set up and tear down tables contributed by Washington County Community College. The foodservice staff provided food for the more than forty extra adults, and the secretarial staff fielded phone calls from vendors and kept the day running smoothly by organizing the visiting students.

Participating high school students came from CMHS, SCRTC, the Palmer Street School, and the Cobscook Community High School. Elementary school students from Beatrice Rafferty, Indian Township, and 8th graders from around the county involved in the SCRTC exploratory program also attended.

Vendors suitably represented a host of career options for students. The University of Maine system, the Maine Community College system, and the New Brunswick Community College were all present. Every branch of the military was available to present the option of entering the armed forces, while the Calais Regional Hospital, Machias Savings Bank, and Cianbro offered the opportunity to enter the civilian workforce. 

“The vendors said it was a great, well-organized event, and that they would definitely attend again,” Rice said, adding that all vendors have agreed to come back next year. Suggestions for next year included involving more area high schools and requesting the participation of more local businesses. Next year’s post-secondary fair will be held on March 16, 2017.