Saturday, Feb. 2, marked the first annual Career Support Conference for Girls, hosted by Soroptimist International of Clovis. The free event was held from 8:30 a.m. – 3 p.m. at Clovis High School, and a continental breakfast and lunch was provided. Approximately 35 attendees sat in small groups at tables arranged around the room.
Soroptimist (pronounced suh-rop-tuh-mist) means “best for women” — women at their best helping other women to be their best. It’s a volunteer organization for business and professional women who work to improve the lives of women and girls through financial scholarships and educational programs.
The new program, “Dream It, Be It Girls Conference” was a workshop consisting of seven sessions that provided tangible strategies to enable high school girls to accomplish their career goals. Throughout the day, subjects were discussed in a relaxed setting where each girl reflected on her aspirations, values and interests — introspection with friends.
The sessions included knowledgeable speakers who touched upon such practical topics as: Discovering Your Dreams; Exploring Careers; Creating Achievable Goals; Rising Above Obstacles; Turning Failure into Success; Balancing Stress; and Putting Dreams into Action. Each girl was given a workbook that she could fill in and keep for future reference.
“It really made me think about what I want out of life and what I can do to achieve it,” one girl said. “I feel I have a plan now and there’s hope.”
Vendors supplied handouts about their businesses. Educational institutions, including Clovis Adult School, National Holistic Institute, and Institute of Technology provided information about courses at their respective schools.
For those who might be interested in a military career, the U.S. Naval Sea Cadet Corps was recruiting. The program gives a taste of what a military career, especially in the Navy, might be like.
“It’s a really good program and the best kept secret in the Navy,” said Lieutenant Commander John Ferretti.
Other vendors included Marjaree Mason, Noble Credit Union, Fresno County Sheriff, and Transitions Children’s Services.
Another Career Support Conference is planned, the date and location to be announced.
Soroptimist International of Clovis is holding a Prom Dress Giveaway at the Sierra Vista Mall Community Room on March 16 from 10 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. and on March 17 from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. There’s a variety of styles and sizes to choose from. Interested? Please RSVP to Caryl at 559-940-5501 or Peggy at 559-297-9052. For more information, visit www.siclovis.org