Explore

On October 1 more than 2,600 8th grade students from nine U-46 middle schools visited Explore 2026, held at the NOW Arena. This annual event connects students preparing to enter high school with more than a hundred careers to explore. Joined by 71 business and community partners as exhibitors, Explore showcases the fastest growing careers in the greater Elgin area from automotive and manufacturing opportunities to healthcare professions.

Nancy Coleman, Executive Director of Alignment shared: “As students transition to high school, Explore is an opportunity to peruse multiple careers leading to informed decisions about what classes in high school are most important to prepare for that career. This preparation includes visiting with business professionals that do that job each day along with understanding the value of career and technical education (CTE) courses that provide ‘hands on’ exploration. Whether a student is university bound or wishes to choose an apprenticeship opportunity, they need the practical experience beyond what the traditional classroom can deliver.”

Thank you to our community volunteers, U-46 volunteers, teachers, administrators, and high school students who filled the NOW Arena with career exploration. 

Thank you to exhibitors, volunteers, and sponsors

One of our first steps in preparing students to graduate academic and career ready is ensuring middle school students transition to high school knowing the career opportunities available to them as part of their high school experience. On October 4 and 5 Alignment offered, in partnership with School District U-46, its annual Explore event to more than 2,400 8th grade students. Greater than 300 business community volunteers, U-46 teachers, administrators, and high school students joined together to fill the NOW Arena with career exploration. The student photos in the Gallery below tell the story.

Roughly 2,700 eighth graders and teachers in Elgin Area Unit District 46 descended on the Now Arena in Hoffman Estates Thursday for Explore 2022.

The annual expo introduces students to various career paths and demonstrates the connection between academic curriculum and future careers.

The event was held in person for the first time since 2019. The district hosted the event online for two years because of the pandemic.

U-46 Superintendent Tony Sanders said it was “incredible” to be back in person.

“We tried to replicate it on Zoom, and our business partners did great,” he said. “But having 2,700 eighth graders actually come in person and have an opportunity to explore all these different career paths is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”

The Alignment Collaborative for Education, a local nonprofit organization that brings together community resources and initiatives to support district priorities, annually partners with U-46 to organize the event.

The eighth graders learned about careers in several pathways, including health care, human and professional services; arts and communications; business, financial services, IT and culinary; and manufacturing, engineering, technology and trades.

Students and faculty from U-46’s five high school magnet academies also had information booths.

Graci Colegrove, a junior from Larkin High School’s Visual and Performing Arts Academy, worked on a painting as the visiting students strolled behind and watched. She said she attended the expo when she was in eighth grade. The visit helped her decide on the academy path.

“That made me so much more motivated to apply,” she said. “It really put coal in my engine.”

Article by Rick West, Daily Herald
This article appeared in the Daily Herald, October 6, 2022