Find Your Path Connects Students with Future Opportunities
November 12, 2026 – What do you want to be when you grow up? It's a question students hear from an early age, but the answer often changes as they discover new interests, develop skills, and learn about opportunities they never knew existed.
Mexico High School's annual Find Your Path Career Exploration Event, held Thursday, November 12, gave students a chance to explore those possibilities firsthand. With 78 registered tables and nearly 160 business partners representing all areas of the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) Career Clusters, there was something for every student to discover.
The all-day event welcomed students from Mexico’s fifth- and eighth-graders, MHS students, Hart Career Center students, and surrounding districts, including Kirksville High School JAG, Sturgeon, Community R-6, North Callaway, Centralia, Higbee, and the Missouri Military Academy.
Career exploration doesn't have to wait until high school
Including fifth graders introduces students to career possibilities while their natural curiosity is still shaping their interests. Meeting someone who works in an unfamiliar field or discovering how a favorite school subject connects to a future career can spark an interest that stays with them for years.
Just as importantly, students may discover careers that don't interest them. Both experiences help them better understand their strengths, preferences, and possibilities.
Those early conversations can influence the classes students choose in middle school, the pathways they explore in high school, and the education or training they pursue after graduation.
"Find Your Path is about helping students make connections between what they're learning in school and the opportunities waiting for them after graduation," said Rebecca Moppin, MHS College and Career Readiness Coordinator and event organizer. "The earlier we can introduce students to different careers, the more opportunities they have to explore their interests and make informed decisions about their future."
Throughout the day, students visited with employers and industry professionals, learning about careers, workplace expectations, and the skills and education needed to succeed.
Some conversations introduced students to college degrees or technical training programs, while others highlighted apprenticeships, internships, job shadowing, and even part-time employment opportunities for high school students.
For some students, a conversation at Find Your Path may lead to a future job. For others, it may simply lead to a new interest in a class they're taking tomorrow.
Connecting classrooms, careers, and community
MHS begins the school year with a college fair for students from Mexico and surrounding schools. Find Your Path builds on that experience by bringing the workforce directly to students, giving them a broader picture of the opportunities available after high school.
The event also creates valuable connections for participating businesses. Employers can introduce students to their industries, share local workforce needs, and begin building relationships with potential future employees. An added benefit is the opportunity for business partners to network with one another throughout the day.
Find Your Path began in 2017 when local manufacturers partnered with the Mexico Area Chamber of Commerce to create a hands-on career exploration experience. Nearly a decade later, the event continues to grow. The Mexico Area Chamber of Commerce also supported the event by providing lunch for participating business partners.
Ultimately, Find Your Path is about more than helping students answer what they want to be when they grow up. It's about helping them understand how the decisions they make today can shape the opportunities available tomorrow.