'Cool' career fair returns to St. Charles

Thirteen-year-old Ashley Shanel has more than a few ideas for what she might like to do when she grows up.

Last week, the list included medicine, art, occupational therapy, teaching and financial advising, to name a few.

Luckily for Ashley, she's getting the chance to interact with professionals from each of those fields through a colossal career fair put on annually in St. Charles School District 303.

At last year's fair, she sutured a pig's foot during a half-hour lesson with a real podiatrist. Then it was on to interior design and architecture.

"I just wanted to try something different and see what that was about," Ashley says. "They would tell you all the cool things they had done … and how much money they make. It was pretty cool."

Ashley and hundreds of other middle schoolers will get the chance to explore career ideas again Oct. 30, when the "Glimpse of the Future Career Night" returns to Wredling Middle School, 1200 Dunham Road.

The free event is a project of the St. Charles District 303 Gifted Talented Resource Group and will include judges, FBI agents, chefs, engineers and architects, among other kinds of professionals.

The fair is open to all middle school students in District 303 and will be from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Registration is required by Wednesday and can be done in school offices or online at www.gtrg-d303.org.

In addition to student activities, the fair this year will include a program to teach parents about "Career Cruisin'" software now commonly used in schools.

For more details, call (630) 584-5484.