Jasper City Schools held its annual Career Day on Wednesday at the Community Health Systems Activities Center for about 450 students within the system. Fifth-grade students from West Jasper, Memorial Park and T.R. Simmons elementary schools were joined by eighth graders from Maddox Middle School at the event, which featured more than 20 speakers from different career fields.

“This community is just fabulous to cooperate with us because they want students to have this information,” Maddox Middle School counselor and event organizer Denise Timmons said.

The speakers were broken into six clusters that correlate to the results of the annual EXPLORE test, given to the city’s eighth graders. The test uses student responses to a series of questions to predict what type of job they might succeed in and enjoy.The clusters were divided into: technical, business operations, administrative and sales, arts, science and technology and social services. Each cluster had several different types of speakers within that general category.

The schools have a three-part comprehensive plan for students that includes an academic component, a personal/social component and a career component. The career fair is part of this month’s focus on career.

“It really is our belief that if a student begins understanding now what jobs are out there and what requirements they can set goals for themselves now to make progress toward knowing better what is a good job fit,” Tibbons said.