- December 14, 2025
Brody McGinty of FPC's Fire Leadership Academy put on all the gear for ITMS students at the Eighth Grade Career Exploration Fair. Photo by Brent Woronoff
Nolan Roy and Tasha Wongchai of FPC's Allied Health medical program had a prop at their table at the ITMS Eighth Grade Career Exploration Fair. Photo by Brent Woronoff
Brody McGinty and Ehimen Ajede, of FPC's Fire Leadership Academy, spoke to ITMS eight graders about the varied careers that fire leadership offers. Photo by Brent Woronoff
Michelle James, a volunteer with the Flagler Home Builders Association and the Professional Women in Building Council, answered questions about construction careers at the ITMS Eighth Grade Career Exploration Fair. Photo by Brent Woronoff
Saige Strickland and Molly Anderson of the FPC Veterinary Assisting program talked to students about what their program offers at the ITMS Eighth Grade Career Exploration Fair. Photo by Brent Woronoff
Elizabeth Wirt talks about the Matanzas Marketing program at the ITMS Eighth Grade Career Exploration Fair. Photo by Brent Woronoff
Matanzas marketing students Daniela Mendez and Elizabeth Wirt shared their experiences at the ITMS eighth Grade Career Exploration Fair. Photo by Brent Woronoff
Ian Knuff of the Matanzas Construction Program and Future Builders of America spoke about the program to ITMS eighth grader with fellow construction student Gabrielle Spence. Photo by Brent Woronoff
Ana Morales of Chick-fil-A talked about careers in the food service industry and gave out hats at the Indian Trails Middle School Eighth Grade Career Exploration Fair. Photo by Brent Woronoff
Matanzas Law and Justice students Sofia Wuerth and Jada Wirt explain their program to Indian Trails eighth graders. Photo by Brent Woronoff
When Flagler Palm Coast High School senior Tasha Wongchai was in middle school, there were no career fairs to give her guidance on a field of study. So, she did her own research and decided to join FPC’s Allied Health medical program.
She and fellow Allied Health student Nolan Roy talked about their program with Indian Trails Middle School students at the school’s first Eighth Grade Career Exploration Fair on Monday, Nov. 4, in the ITMS gym.
“There are tons of different areas you can go into in health care,” Wongchai told a student.
There were over 50 tables at the fair, including six FPC and 10 Matanzas High School programs including the International Baccalaureate program at FPC and the Cambridge AICE Diploma program at Matanzas. The high school programs were situtated next to professionals in like fields in government, health, law, media, finance, building construction, first responder careers and other professions.
“The kids can see all of the options they have here,” Wongchai said.
The ITMS fair followed a similar career fair held at Buddy Taylor Middle School last month.
The fair was sponsored by the Flagler County Education Foundation, the Palm Coast Junior Chamber of Commerce, Flagler Schools and Community Foundation — United Way of Volusia-Flagler.
Jeremy Ossler, the career education coordinator at Matanzas, said all of the school’s classroom to career programs are busting at the seams, but the Marketing and Finance program is becoming one of the most popular.
In the marketing lab, students work toward a small-business certification, produce their own commercials and marketing campaigns and compete in their own shark tank contest. Daniela Mendez told an eighth grader about her product, a clear protective lens that fits over the lenses on a pair of glasses. The thin clear lens is smudge proof and crack proof, she said.
The finance program includes an internship where students run an in-school VyStar Credit Union branch during lunch periods. In the summer, the students work at a Palm Coast VyStar branch. Both students and teachers have accounts at the in-school branch, Ossler said.
