From left: William Gay (Smokey Bear) and his son, Everett Gay.

GREENSBORO, Ga. — On April 12, Lake Oconee Academy (LOA) hosted its annual Career Day, a vibrant event that catered to students from K4 to 12th grade. The event featured a rich diversity of over 40 speakers, spanning a wide spectrum of professions from culinary arts to medical sciences, providing students with comprehensive exposure to various career paths.

LOA believes in creating opportunities for its students to explore all possible career paths.

“Our goal is to expose students to various careers and connect what they are learning in school to the world of work to jumpstart their thinking about the future,” said LOA Executive Director Dr. Brad Bowling.

Students from K4 classes enjoyed meeting First Responders, including Smokey Bear from the U.S. Forest Service, police officers, EMT workers, firefighters and more. At the same time, the upperclassmen enjoyed hearing from professionals in nursing, pediatric cardiology, research scientists, lawyers and photographers, to name just a few. The students had a wide array of information leaving from career day, which gave them many opportunities to consider as they contemplated their future. Smokey Bear has a special connection to LOA. He happens to be married toMorgan Gay, an ELA teacher. He’s also the father of a proud first-graderEverett Gay, who was beaming with pride as he showed off his special dad, Smokey.

Virginia Hardwick, a long-term sub for Mrs. McDaniel, shared how impressed she was with author Jess Teal, who spoke to her students about being authors. Teal asked the students if they had ever made a book. Of the students who raised their hands, a few from each group, Teal shook their hands and called each an author. She shared a book she wrote when she was their age.