HANCEVILLE, Ala. – Wallace State Community College’s Talent Search program hosted more than 170 high school students recently for the annual TRiO Day on campus.
Students from Wallace State’s service area schools in Blount, Cullman, Marshall and Morgan Counties were treated to an array of activities, including listening to keynote speaker Jonathan Parks and touring select departments on campus.
“Thank you so much for being a part of the Talent Search program. We believe what we’re doing is helping shape your future, so we appreciate you taking those steps,” said Todd Abbott, Wallace State’s director of Educational Talent Search. “Education is a wonderful thing. It’s not just a means to an end; it’s a way to brighten the world and live in a deeper, more meaningful way. The more you understand the world, the more you appreciate it.”
At the outset, Abbott recognized each school in attendance: Holly Pond, Fairview, Hanceville, Cold Springs, Vinemont, Douglas, Fairview, Hayden, J.B. Pennington, Susan Moore, Falkville and Brewer.
Parks, a master practitioner of the Myers-Briggs and True Colors personality inventories and Diversity Outreach and Relationship Director at Vizient, Inc., was the event’s main speaker.
Using multiple engaging exercises, Parks encouraged the students to always listen and use their imaginations.
“Learn how you learn and learn that way. Some of you are visual learners, some are hands-on and others learn through audio. If you want to be successful in life, learn how you learn and learn that way,” said Parks, a Detroit native, who was making his first trip to Alabama. “I also encourage you to create a board of directors for yourself and have those people in your corner through life. You’ll be amazed at the things you can pull off with the right people surrounding you.”
Students were also treated to a performance from the Wallace State Singers.
The latter part of the event gave students the opportunity to learn more about their detailed personality traits with Parks, visit with two financial literacy coaches from Regions Bank and converse with representatives from four-year colleges in attendance.
Opportunities were also available to tour the following Wallace State programs: Dental Hygiene, Diagnostic Medical Sonography, Respiratory Therapy, Nursing, Physical Therapy Assistant (PTA), Mechatronics, Diesel Technology, Welding, Salon and Spa Management, Culinary Arts, Criminal Justice, Business Education and the Fine and Performing Arts.
Wallace State’s Talent Search is a TRIO program funded by the U.S. Department of Education to provide services to students in grades 6-12. Its primary focus is to assist students and parents with a variety of activities involved in getting a student ready to attend college, including with academic advising, career exploration, financial aid assistance, college admission prep and more. For more information about the Talent Search program, visit https://www.wallacestate.edu/talent-search.
