Student aspirations remain high amid economic slump

Nothing is going to change Avon Park High senior Jerry Lee Wright's goal and dream of becoming a teacher.

"It might be where I won't get to teach where I want to teach, but I'm not going to let something like that alter my dream," he said. "My life-long goal was to become a teacher and I'm not going to let that change."

Despite the slow economy and job cuts hitting numerous industries and professions, high school seniors are optimistically looking past these tough times while planning their futures.

Through dual-enrollment classes at South Florida Community College, when Wright graduates from high school in June he will also have earned his associate in arts degree.

He has been accepted at Florida Gulf Coast University (Fort Myers) and the University of South Florida's elementary education program at South Florida Community College.

Wright notes if he chooses the USF program, he will be able to continue with his job as director of children's ministries at Union Congregational Church.

Wright's mother, Trisha, said her son didn't need any advice on choosing a career.

"I just told him 'follow his heart'" she said.

Avon Park High senior Brittany Murphy occasionally thinks about the teacher layoffs in Florida, but she is also moving forward with her plans on becoming on a teacher.

Murphy's mother, two aunts and cousin are teachers and her sister has an education degree.

"Teaching kind of runs in the family," she said.

Murphy has been accepted and plans to attend Florida State University to earn a master's degree in elementary education.

"I don't know exactly where I want to teach, but I want to be a first-grade teacher," she said.

Lake Placid High School registrar Bruce Wyse believes about the same percentage of seniors are planning on going to college.

"I don't believe the economy has significantly changed the number of kids who want to go on to a four-year university," he said. "I think that the reality of the situation is that they are going to need some training after high school in order to compete in a market that seems to be shrinking at this time."

South Florida Community College, and health care in particularly, will continue to be a popular choice for many students, Wise said.

Avon Park High School 12th-grade guidance counselor Jenifer Langston said colleges and universities are promoting careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (S.T.E.M.).

Many students are expressing interest in nursing, believing it's a safe career choice due to the local shortage, she said.

Sebring High School Assistant Principal Debbie Wood said most students say they are going to SFCC or another college or university and some are opting for the military.

In his sophomore year, Sebring High School senior Wesley Jones started thinking about a career in the military.

The United States' current military presence in Iraq and Afghanistan has not affected his decision to enter the military.

"My plan is to go in for eight years and then see where it goes on from there," he said.

Jones said his dedication is to join the Air Force and then pursue a career in law enforcement when he leaves the service.

Lake Placid High School senior Silvia Monroy has been taking business classes since ninth-grade.

"I've seen that the economy has affected the job market," she said.

Monroy has not wavered from her plans on getting a bachelor's degree in businesses administration and then a master's degree and finally a doctorate.

She has applied to the University of South Florida and the University of Central Florida. Monroy has been accepted to USF and is awaiting word from UCF.

"I know that acceptance at universities is really fierce at this point in time," she noted.

One day she wants to own a business, but she has yet to decide what type of business.

"I'm working on that," Monroy said.

Lake Placid High School senior Corinne Fritz did consider the economy and the job market in choosing a career to work toward after high school.

"It affected what career I wanted to go into," she said. "I started looking more at the job outlook and if there was going to be work available once I graduate from college."

She considered radiology and veterinarian medicine, but decided to pursue a psychology degree at Roosevelt University in Chicago.

"I think once I get my degree the economy will hopefully be turning around," Fritz said.