Seniors from Bell Multicultural High School in Northwest Washington adjust each other’s caps and gowns while lining up for their awards ceremony. Guidance counselors and intern coordinators review college and scholarship applications and resumes. It’s that time again and most D.C. public school seniors are discovering new options after graduation as a result of attending school career programs, college and career fairs, and talking with military recruiters.

"I didn’t know whether I would get accepted to college, so when a recruiter called my house I went down to the office, watched a tape, talked to the recruiter and signed up," said R. Ann Shorter, who recently graduated from Bell Multicultural and plans to study psychology while in the Air Force.

At least 100 of this year’s seniors who graduated from D.C. public schools enlisted in the U.S. armed forces, according to local recruiters.

"Most students look at the educational benefits we provide," said Sgt. Moses Woodard, assigned to the Air Force’s D.C. recruiting office. "When students come into the office, we make sure they know the good, the bad and the ugly." The Air Force offers graduates 75% off their tuition if they go to school while in the service, Woodard said.

Many Bell Multicultural students said the diverse student population at their school gave them more resources to choose from in selecting a career or further education. "I didn’t know how much I will miss Bell until now," said senior Leidi Reyes. "Bell reflects the world outside. My language classes made me want to study communications and international relations."

Reyes, who received a $1,000 scholarship from Bell Multicultural Foundation, plans to go to Trinity College in the fall. Fifteen seniors at Bell received $3,000, $2,000 or $1,000 Bell Multicultural Foundation scholarships.

"I think all the students have worked hard to expose themselves to what Bell had to offer them as well as discovering them on their own," said Evelyn Gonzalez, senior counselor at Bell.

Students recently explored various option programs offered by D.C. Works, Teen Summit and the Latin American Youth Center. The two- year college-bound program at the Latin America Youth Center offers seniors a college resource library, application and essay writing workshops and trips to colleges, according to coordinator Beth Fighera.

Bell senior Brandon Alston said an exchange trip to Japan influenced him to choose Salem –Teikyo Unversity in Salem, W. Va. Alston, who speaks Japanese, plans to major in computer science and minor in Japanese.

School counselors said a majority of this year’s seniors probably found their career decisions made easier by the programs they chose to pursue in high school.

About 110 students at Calvin Coolidge High School found summer jobs or permanent employment since November, said intern coordinator Pierre Hawkins. Hawkins, a Coolidge alumnus, said he teaches students the "finer points" of resume writing, job searching and interview tips.

To help students narrow their choices after high school, the citywide School-to-Career Initiative allows seniors to focus on one "path" regardless of whether they go to the military, college, vocational school or work. The five career pathways under the initiative are business and marketing, health and human services, engineering and science, arts and communication, and industrial technology.

At Coolidge, students narrow their choice of career field by selecting a specialized academic area or "house" within the school. After ninth grade, students choose classes with a concentration in teaching professions, arts and humanities or math, science and technology.

Seniors in the program are required to participate for four months and are released from their afternoon classes to work at unpaid internship sites.

Cardozo High School has a similar program. Choices at Cardozo include fine arts, humanities, international studies, and transportation and technology. Cardozo’s Transportation and Technology Program takes pride in being the first of its kind in the District.

"My counselor, Ms. Davis, always lets me know what’s going on," said Roosevelt High School senior Victor Osuchukwu. Osuchukwu said he plans to major in broadcast journalism at C.W. Post College in New York.

A recent conference for city high school students was yet another opportunity for teens to attend workshops on resume writing, speak with community leaders and recruiters, and meet other youth across the city.

"We’re all here for the same common goal. We’re putting ourselves on the ship destined for success, " Osuchukwu told his fellow students during the event.

Copyright 1998, The Common Denominator