Colchester VT — Vermont Rep. Becca Balint met with high school students at St. Michael’s College to discuss the future and the challenges they’ll face.
The event, organized by the Vermont Student Assistance Corporation (VSAC), drew students from across Vermont, who filled the bleachers at the college.
Students expressed concerns about mapping out their future careers and the overwhelming number of options available to them. Georgie Kiel, a sophomore at Middlebury Union High School, emphasized the importance of getting an early grasp on what she wants. Her classmate, Jacques Snell, voiced his struggles in choosing one passion among many.
“Something that I took away especially from Becca’s speech was just that you don’t have to choose one career and have to stick with it,” Kiel said. “There are many things that can happen… I think that’s a part of growing up.”
Snell added, “I think that was very inspiring. I don’t have to take this path, I don’t have to take that path.”
Balint shared her unique perspective on career paths, reflecting on her unconventional journey from teacher to newspaper reporter to politician, and finally to the halls of Congress. She emphasized to the students that there is no “have to,” only choice.
also shared his thoughts, saying, “I have all these ideas on what I want to do,” Bowie Berloso a junior at Middlebury Union High School,” said. “But I have to calm down and realize I have time, you know?”