CAIRO — Cairo High School will be hosting its annual College and Career Fair this Thursday, March 21 at the school gymnasium.

More than 50 local businesses, colleges and military recruiters will be present at the event, which will be open to all CHS students from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The CHS counseling department estimated approximately 1,300 high school students will attend the event this year.

Students will be given a list of questions provided by CHS to ask participants to learn more about the various career opportunities available after high school.

Students will then obtain signatures from vendors after successfully completing conversations, which can then be submitted for the chance to win prizes.

“The goal is that students will be able to have discussions one-on-one and in small groups with people who can help them learn about a particular career field and the steps they can take now to set themselves up to be successful in the future,” said Crystal Holt, lead counselor at CHS.

Holt said the career fair will have tables for participants to set up materials, including tools used in various professions, hands-on demonstrations and promotional items.

Vendors will be able to promote job and internship opportunities to the students.

Rebecca Best, a parent mentor in the special education department at CHS, highlighted one paid internship opportunity offered last year with John Deere where two students were trained to repair their machines.

“It’s such a great opportunity for students that I don’t think a lot of them are aware of,” Best said. “I think by bringing the businesses together, it really shows what’s available. Without some research you really don’t know that these things are out there. I think it really opens up our students to these different opportunities that they might not otherwise have.”

The theme of the event will be “Working Together to Make a Difference.”

Best said the theme was selected to show how collaboration between local businesses, community members, colleges and technical schools can make a difference with students.

“It’s showing not just that they have to go to college, but the different opportunities that are out there for everyone,” Best said. “It’s encompassing the broad range of prospects that you have after high school.”

Best said the job fair will represent the culmination of a week filled with career-oriented events at CHS, including mock interviews, guest speakers and assistance in applying for college and for federal student loans.

Holt said the ultimate goal of the week’s activities was to “expose Grady County high school students to a wide variety of potential careers and put them in contact with individuals and colleges that can help them continue their education after high school.”