The program, which is presented by local Marco Island business leaders and hasn't been taught in local schools before, gives students at Marco Island Charter Middle School an introduction to skills that they'll be able to use for the rest of their working lives.

On Monday afternoon, Rosa Scola, a certified public accountant who is employed by Swope, Lamberson & Charbonneau, P.A., gave eighth graders a brief look a topics such as job applications, resumés, interview etiquette and searching for employment.

"Although the students are still too young to be in a position to need a resumé, it plants the seed for the future, so they know what is expected of them," Scola said.

Scola taught her lesson to students in Craig Fisher's history section. The program also stresses proper English and body language as well as good communication skills.

Students said that they really enjoyed the career-related topics.

"It was a nice break from the texbook and Vietnam," student Breanna McLaughlin said.

Morgan Trzyna liked Scola's "mock" job interview, which included several habits to avoid when meeting with a potential employer.

"(The lesson) told you what to do and what not to do in a job interview," Trzyna added.

The various lessons may prove quite valuable when students are looking for work both during high school and after college, Scola added.

The program is more than just about work, as personal finance and economics are also discussed.

"It prepares them not only for a job, but for life itself," Scola noted. "It teaches them that we don't always get what we want at first, but if you work hard, you will get closer to that goal."

For those students who aren't exactly "clueless" about their future career plans, Scola said it's important to develop a hard-working attitude.

"A lot of the students have an idea of what they want to be, but they have to realize it may not be handed to them on a silver platter," she said.

Ken Gandy is the founding director of the Marco Island Business Networking Group on Marco Island. He said that when they started the group about a year-and-a-half ago, they wanted to find a project to "give something back to the community."

"We thought that with our emphasis on business, Junior Achievement was the ideal choice," he said. "It was not presently being offered on Marco Island, and it offers an education in all levels of business and financial management and budgeting in a curriculum environment to school students."

Marco Island Charter Middle School prinicipal George Abounader was glad to see the program added to the curriculum this fall.

"Having business leaders from our local community here on campus instructing our students in this field of high interest is very special for our school," he said. "The Junior Achievement program has introduced our students to some real-life concerns and is teaching them how to successfully compete against peers in the business world."

School instructor Mark Scalia said beginning next school year, Collier County is mandating career education programs to be taught countywide.

"Junior Achievement is the best example of career education at the middle school level," said Scalia, who also noted that the program is a unique way to offer career-based learning.

"It's a way for us to integrate career education and an economics unit into something practical for the students," he added.

Scalia said it's never too early to inform students about life when they're in the work force. The response so far from his students has pleased him.
"I'm proud of the way my kids have bought into it," he said.

The program will be presented at Tommie Barfield Elementary School starting in February.

"That's the beauty of it," Gandy said. "It's offered to all levels of students, from elementary to high school."

The Marco Island Sun Times is a sponsor for this year's program. Publisher Val Simon has many positive things to say about the new program, which she had the opportunity to be a part of when she was in school.

"The Sun Times is excited to be part of bringing this program to Marco Island," she said. "It's an excellent program that will help the students in their future careers."

Marco Island Sun Times staff writer Andrea M. Galabinski contributed to this story.