We are pleased to extend an invitation for you to participate in the STARS on the Rise: Exploring College & Careers at John F. Kennedy Middle School event scheduled for March 18, 2026. Your professional expertise would provide invaluable insight as our students explore a wide range of future educational and career opportunities. Many of our students have limited exposure to the diverse career pathways available to them, and your involvement would offer meaningful, first-hand knowledge.
The event will take place at John F. Kennedy Middle School, located at 2087 Hobson Pike, Antioch, TN 37013. Each presenter will be assigned a designated area for setup. Presentations should consist of a 10‑minute overview followed by 5 minutes of student questions, for a total of 15 minutes per session. The event will run from 10:30 a.m. to 2:15 p.m., with an arrival time of 10:15 a.m. If these times conflict with your availability, we would be glad to make reasonable accommodations.
A light lunch will be provided prior to the start of the presentations. To enhance engagement, presenters are encouraged to bring professional materials, tools, artifacts, or other visual aids relevant to their field. Presenters are also welcome to provide small tokens or informational items from their organization for students, if desired.
Attached, you will find suggested talking points. To confirm your participation, please respond no later than March 6, 2026. Should you have any questions or require further information, please contact me at (615) 501‑7900 or via email at tiffany.spicer@mnps.org.
We would be honored to have you join us for this important event. Thank you for your time, consideration, and support of our students.
Suggested Talking Points
College & Career Day – Quick Presenter Talking Points
1. Introduce Yourself
- Name, job/role, and organization or college
- Share a fun fact (favorite class, hobby, first job)
2. Share Your Career Path
- What you do
- What sparked your interest
- What education or training you needed
- Keep it simple and relatable
3. Describe a Typical Workday
- What your day looks like
- Tools/technology you use
- Key skills (teamwork, communication, problem‑solving, creativity)
- What you enjoy most
4. Connect Your Career to School
- How middle school subjects relate to your work
- Encourage exploring interests (clubs, electives)
- Something you wish you knew at their age
5. Explain the Education Pathway
- Helpful high school courses or CTE options
- Different postsecondary routes:
- Technical training
- Community college
- University
- Military
- On‑the‑job learning
- Emphasize: many paths lead to success
