Students at the Blackstone-Millville Regional High School recently participated in the 15th annual Career Awareness Day. The school’s cafeteria was filled with close to fifty career presenters. The day began for the junior class as they listened to keynote speaker, Brian Levitre, US Customs and Border, Port Director of Providence Service Port. He urged the students to find something that they love to do and pursue it as a career. He added that his own journey to become a chief detective came with much hard work and many trials and tribulations along the way.

The senior class had an opportunity to visit the various booths in the cafeteria while the juniors were listening to Levitre in the auditorium. The juniors later joined them in the cafeteria and spent some quality time with presenters.

The School to Career Program, coordinated by faculty member Mark Campopiano, is aimed at providing students in grades nine through twelve the opportunity to do extensive career exploration in order to enable them to be better informed when making decisions regarding their post-graduation plans. In addition to coordinating a Career Awareness Day in the spring each year, Campopiano also provides students in the sophomore class the opportunity to shadow in a career of their choice in the fall and also opportunities for juniors and seniors to participate in semester-long internships on and off campus.

Careers and organizations represented in the BMR Career Fair included:
Brian Wye, Architect; Mathew Carpentier, Author; Stacy Juba, Author; Jen Brodeur, Baker; Carl Abramson and Angie Starnes, Dean Bank; Paul Jacobs, TV Cable Operator; Megan Sopko, Cosmetology; Kim Czerkowicz, Dental Hygienist; Lisa Trottier, Elementary Teacher; Scott Rossiter, Employee Owned Business; Michael Harpin, Facility Operations Manager; Michael Sweeney and Brad Kwatcher, Fire Chief and Paramedic; Jennie Allen, Graphic Designer; Catherine Frend, Groomer; Audra Lefevbre and Lauren Trevisone, Hair Stylist; Eric Atstupenas and Michael Swain, Lawyers; Tressy Collier, Librarian; Kathleen Lindvall, Lincoln Tech.; Joseph Martin, Marketing and Sales; Chelsea Hebert, Martial Arts; Tina Broulliette, Mental Health Counseling; Sergeant Chad Hildreth, Air Force; Sergeant Logan Saunders, Army; Staff Sergeant James Abraham; Aaron Phillips, National Guard; Michael Gittleson, Nurse; Lori Cillino, Occupational Therapy; Kristie Aicardi*, Pharmacy Tech; Rick Pace, Photography; Karen Lyles, Physical Therapy; Jason Berthelette, Police Officer; Linn Butler, Realtor; Erin Campopiano, Research Assistant; George Hatjopolous, Restaurant Owner; Michelle Knight, Social Services; Lawrence Sullivan, Staff Training Director; Cara Spagnoletti, Veterinarian Med. Student; Debra Gibbs, Vet. Radiology Tech.

*denotes BMR alumni