Molalla Possible Futures Club
by Joie Lopez Youth Career Navigator
Molalla Possible Futures Club is a middle school level career exploration/school success group geared towards inspiring students to think about their future goals and how their education is the foundational steppingstone to achieving that. This is the first group of students at Molalla River Middle School to pilot this club.
Recently, through the hard work of Molalla River Middle School Administration and Todos Juntos Nonprofit we were able to take these 12 students on a job shadowing tour at the Sheet Metal Institute Union Apprenticeship in Portland, Or. Here Students got the opportunity to hear from two amazing women about their experience in the field of sheet metal work, how you can go to school and earn money, as well as got to see first-hand what the work consists of through a hands-on interactive workshop. Students got to weld, bend sheet metal, and create their very own first piece of sheet metal work. At a time just coming out of a restrictive lockdown within the pandemic, these students needed now more there ever to see a light at the end of the tunnel and find motivation to reengage with their education. Part of what we work on in this class is identifying our strengths, goals, and interests to find a career that fosters those but also to empower these students to realize they have something to offer this world. Todos Juntos originally created a Youth Career Exploration pilot program to help students, especially in rural areas, find motivation and hope for the future. There is nothing more we want than for these students to find a love of learning and to realize that no matter where they come from there is a place out there for them whether it be college, a career, a trade school, etc. the opportunities are endless, and the students are so capable of achieving their goals whatever they decide those may be.
We would like to give a special thank you to Carly Rush and Jinnie Freeman at the Sheet Metal Institute Union Apprenticeship for allowing our students to come into their place of work and for giving them such an inspirational, powerful, and informative experience.
