FERRIDAY — Eighth graders aren’t quite ready to enter the workforce, but some got a jumpstart on career planning at the Ferriday Junior High School Career Awareness and Exploration Fair.

Students met representatives from a variety of local businesses and industries and asked questions about future career choices.

Law enforcement officers, emergency responders, banking professionals, floral designers, engineers and health professionals all set up booths to give students a glimpse into what their day-to-day work is and to encourage students to set educational and career goals.

Briante Green, 15, said she wants to attend college at Georgia Tech University and become a registered nurse.

“I like to help people and would like to be a traveling nurse so I can help a lot of different people,” she said.

Green said in school she enjoys her classes and is learning that it takes hard work to succeed.

“You have got to study hard and study a lot,” she said. “And you have to stay in school if you want to do anything.”

Green’s classmate Cartrell Anderson, 15, expressed interested in a medical career, possibly nursing as well. But the biggest thing Anderson was taking away from the career fair was the importance of hard work.

“You have to make good choices and keep on working hard if you want something good to happen,” Anderson said.

At 14, Qu’Neal Curry doesn’t have an exact career path pinned down, but does have a few options she knows she will enjoy.

“I want to be a beautician, pediatrician and a nurse,” she said. “You have to work hard but you can make good money.”

She said while the three jobs don’t seem to have much in common at first glance, they share one big similarity.

“They are all about working with people,” she said. “I really like being around people and helping with things.

“I’ll have to study really hard and make good grades.”