Starting next year, students will be expected to choose majors while in high school. The students were exposed to a variety of different career professionals, including city government health occupations education and banking.
And they had the chance to ask the questions important to them, like one directed to CH2M Hill's David Cowen, about how much money engineers make.

The exposure to the different career possibilities was enlightening to 8th graders, including Billy Godwin who says, "This is the first time I actually decided it was cool. I'm pretty sure i want to do computers." He hopes to attend Loften High School next fall.

Seventh grader Kyle Smith found there was an added benefit to the day of career learning. "I was really worth my time, I mean school's fun and everything but we actually got time to take a break and learn what we can do in life," said the 7th grader.

These career-minded students also got more than they bargained for. They were treated to a visit from two successful sports-super stars who once sat in their seats. Brothers Mike and Adrian Peterson from the Jacksonville Jaguars and Chicago Bears respectively came with a message for students to believe that they could be anything they wanted: teachers, doctors and nurses.

The former Mebane student, Mike Peterson, explained why he felt it important that he speak to the kids,"Growing up we were always taught sports go hand in hand with academics. That was instilled in us as a kid and it's still in us to this day so we're just trying to pass the message on to the younger grads."

His brother who now makes Chicago home, struggled with a speech impediment throughout his education, but told the middle schoolers the most important thing, to dream big. He he thinks that if students stay focused, they can overcome adversity., "...Put yourself in the best situation to succeed and everything else will take care of itself."

The purpose of Career Day says Principal Vieta Jackson-Carter, "...hopefully we planted the seeds in the areas they've chosen so they've had people that they could reach out and touch and talk to and ask how did you do to get where you are."

By Stacey Samuel, WCJB TV 20 News