Showcasing their vocational and employability skills, 20 students competed in Job Olympics April 11, earning 11 medals for placing in the top three. 
Job Olympics is a competition for high school students centered around vocational simulations, with community members judging their employability skills. The event was hosted by Liberty High School at Pleasant Valley Baptist Church.
“The most important thing about it is that these students get to feel like they’re part of a community,” teacher Emma Jacobson said. “I think a lot of students in school get to compete in competitions, whether it be sports or cooking. Our students don’t often get that opportunity, so for them to be around students like them, compete in something, get awards and hear their names called on stage. I think just the camaraderie of it is important.”
Each competitor could choose from a variety of events such as data entry, light assembly, silverware rolling, first aid packaging, child care, sorting recyclables, sorting wares, paper shredding, table bussing, animal pet care, sorting mail, laundry folding, bagging groceries, stocking gift cards, table setting, wiping tables and lunch packaging.
“I did typing data. I did interview, and I did bagging groceries,” senior Nasi Wright said. “I did pretty good.”
In preparation for the competition, the students worked in class on improving the two skills in which they chose to compete. Senior Chloe Prebyl participated in setting the table and putting food in boxes.
“We interviewed and practiced job skills at school,” Prebyl said, and she said winning the award felt good.
Along with their events, students had interviews and were judged on professional dress.
“We just wanted the kids to be able to go do their job skills to show what we practiced at school and they were able to do it really really well.”
An awards ceremony was held at the end of the event. Medals were awarded to the top three students in each event. All students who didn’t receive a medal were awarded a ribbon. // By Willow Wooldridge
