Our hearts are warmed by the participation in the last two weeks of numerous community members who have “shown up” for the Tuesday night Career Day Planning Meetings. As many of you have heard, Natchez United and the Natchez-Adams County Educational Foundation are partnering with the Natchez Chamber of Commerce and the Natchez-Adams County School District’s P-16 Committee. This partnership is an effort to host a Career Day of sorts with a theme along the lines of “Natchez-Adams County ‘Showing the Love’ for Our Children.” It will be a day for our children to “Find [Their] Passion/Commitment in February.”

We have had enthusiastic and productive representation from several specific Career Clusters:

• Arts and Humanities — including local related businesses in the arts from the downtown area
• Aviation — including the Airport leadership
• Business — including the Natchez-Adams County Chamber of Commerce leadership
• Communications — including a local media consultant
• Health Sciences — including a local Physical Therapist
• Law and Government — including a City Alderwoman
• Law Enforcement — a Natchez Policeman
• Fire and EMS — including the Chief and a Captain, Public and Private Emergency Management/Response

We are so grateful for the ideas that they have generated for some very exciting Career presentation! Now, we are prayerful that as we continue to meet, more join us to broaden representation of the numerous diverse professionals in our community:

• Business — including representatives from banking and finance
• Communications — including representatives from local newspapers and publications
• Engineering and Technology — all areas of engineering and technology
• Health Care — including doctors, nurses, hospital management, technicians and therapists
• Law and Government — including Judges/lawyers, Mayor’s office and Boards of Aldermen/Supervisors
• Law Enforcement – including police and sheriff’s departments
• Science — from the community college, university, and business arenas
• Skilled Trades — teachers from the NASD Career Technology Center
• Social Services — Faith-based leaders, Counselors/Therapists, Human Services

We also need participation of teachers and school leaders. While some have touted some improvement in our schools, we also have read reports recently in the Clarion-Ledger stating that now all 82 counties in Mississippi have gang activity. While some would like to blame this on the parents, the research suggests that even in homes where parents are working hard to provide stable and successful homes, children may turn to gangs. When they do not find school or the community to be a warm, safe and supportive place, or when they do not see a route to being successful in getting good jobs, gangs may be a place they can belong and feel protected. Of course, this is not something we like to hear, but it is an area where we have an opportunity to make a difference!

You may not think you have anything to offer, or you may be too busy; however, the children need us. Otherwise, we risk losing even more of our American Dream. We look forward to having you join us Tuesday night as we continue to work on making our career day a reality. Please contact and invite anyone else you know who might join the process.

And like our Facebook Group and Page for Updates on our efforts!
Dr. Marvin Jeter is and educational consultant member of Natchez United.