Monterey High School will host a College and Career Tailgate to connect students with postsecondary opportunities during the Homecoming football game on Friday.
Advise Tennessee College Advisor Elizabeth Black said the event features representatives from Tennessee Tech, TCAT, Vol State, and the University of Tennessee Chattanooga.
“So the College and Career Tailgate is a chance for universities and career reps and military reps to set up and interact with our students and families as they arrive for the Homecoming game,” Black said.
Black said the school modeled the event after a similar program managed by GEAR UP partners. The initiative aims to provide a convenient venue for local families to meet with recruiters while they are already on campus for the game.
“And really it’s just a great chance to kind of give our families the opportunities while they’re already here to kind of meet with some of these reps and give those reps the same opportunity,” Black said.
Cumberland University and the Reconnect program will also have stations at the event. Black said recruiters from the Air Force and the National Guard plan to attend to discuss military pathways.
“I think being in a smaller community sometimes we’re not always aware of all the opportunities that are around us,” Black said. “So being able to expose our students and families to what opportunities exist is just a fantastic way to make sure that they don’t miss out on an opportunity that they didn’t know about.”
Black said the school intends to support students regardless of whether they choose technical training, the workforce, or a four-year degree. The event serves as a way for the school to walk alongside students as they determine their next steps after graduation.
“And we want to make sure we allow them to make those connections with those universities or those in the workforce or those in the military,” Black said. “So we definitely here at Monterey High School, our goal is to make sure that our students get to whatever next steps they plan to do and we walk alongside them and help them do that.”
Black said she hopes the interaction allows students to put a face with a name for various organizations. The tailgate is designed to help students discover new ideas or opportunities they had not previously considered.
