From designing an ACC campus to laser hair removal to going to NASA, COOL Week had it all.

Seventy-five seniors participated in Careers Opportunities on Location Week, Feb. 1-5. The started in October with LISD partnering with local businesses and senior expressing interest in their future careers. Rouse seniors were paired with 28 different career opportunities, getting to experience what the job would be like for up to a week. Senior Shelby Lammons choose Architecture and worked with Pfluger Associates Architects.

“We spent the whole week learning what architects do,” Lammons said. “We also got to tour Glenn High school because the lady that supervised us, designed the building. On Thursday and Friday, we even go to design the new ACC school that’s going to be built in Leander.”

Senior Kathryn Pham got accepted to work at Ann Webb Skin Care Clinic, where she did everything from tattoo removal to facials.

“I loved it,” Pham said. “I always known I wanted to do skin care and cosmetology. I confirmed what I wanted to do for the rest of my life.”

Senior Christopher Helms spent the week down in Houston, touring NASA for the engineering firm called Oceaneering.

“It was really cool,” Helms said. “We got to see what engineers do. I love space. I love all the engineering and physics and the math that goes into getting people into space. COOL Week convinced me that I wanted to pressure engineering in college.”

This COOL Week was the first for the new College and Career Coordinator Christina Wallace.

“I would definitely chalk COOL Week 2016 up as a success,” Wallace said. “One of my favorite aspects of the week is hearing how their week impacts their future decisions.”

This was an opportunity for our students who get an inside look at the day-to-day operations of a business. It also provided them hands-on experience they might not always get in the classroom.

“One of the important things they tell you, from college, as soon as you get out of college, start getting job experience,” Helms said. “Get internships and all that because, sure people want to see degrees but that also want to see experience, too.”