Returning to the same hallways, the same classrooms, the same teachers for some, Alisal alumni gained the opportunity to share their career journeys to students sitting in the same seats they once did. The Alisal Alumni Career Day marked its return on March, 20, around eighty-five alumni accepted the invitation to discuss their journeys after graduating from high school. The event was held for a couple years prior to the Covid-19 pandemic, but like many other things, when the lockdown was instituted and later lifted, it took years for it to return. 

Three alumni were assigned to one classroom and each were allotted a period of 40 minutes to share their story, discuss their careers, and answer questions. The schedule was modified to allow roughly three hours in the morning for three presentations. Students remained with their first period teacher to listen to the presenters. “I want to give back to the community,” school psychologist Elizabeth Delgado said. “It’s always nice to come back to the school.” Delgado graduated from Alisal in 1993. 

The main goal of the career fair was to showcase the different opportunities available to students after graduation. “There are different pathways that they [students] can absolutely take.” community liaison Rachel Torres said. Given the number of alumni that returned, there was a variety of jobs available for students to learn about. From school psychologists, lawyers, doctors, business owners, dentists, police officers, the list goes on. 

An equally important goal was for students to see themselves represented. The alumni were composed of people who looked like the students, who lived in the same areas, who could relate to their lived experiences. “These people lived in the same house or the same apartment,” Torres said. “The message is, anything is possible. As long as you set your mind to it, the sky’s the limit.” 

Students received the opportunity to hear about careers that interested them or maybe they didn’t know a lot about. Having presenters in the classroom created a more intimate setting for students to listen attentively and ask questions. Seeing successful people come out of the very same school they attend reinforced the idea that success is very much within grasp. “I think having presenters helped students by showing them that having good jobs like lawyers is something very achievable,” junior Roman Sanchez said. 

Both alumni and students benefited from the career day. The alumni got to share their stories and students got to learn about the possibilities awaiting them after graduation. In return, students asked questions which prompted many alumni to reflect on what they’ve achieved and how sharing their accomplishments could have a positive impact on students. “I hope they live with the realization that they [students] can do anything they decide in life,” court interpreter Guadalupe Jamie said. “They choose their destiny and it’s all a matter of how they see themselves.”