More than 50 colleges and armed forces representatives gathered at Fort Walton Beach High School on Wednesday for the school’s second annual “Vikings SET SAIL” College Fair, offering students a comprehensive look at their post-secondary options.

• The event, which has outgrown its original location in the school’s media center, now occupies the gymnasium. It provides students with direct access to information about various institutions from across the southeastern United States.

Dr. Linda Dugan, Professional School Counselor at Fort Walton Beach High, emphasized the fair’s importance in preparing students for their futures.

“One of the biggest things in the state of Florida is career readiness,” Dugan said. “In order to do that, we’ve got to help our students plan. What better way to do it than to bring the representatives here with the College Fair in the fall, and the Career Fair in the spring.”

The fair caters to 10th, 11th, and 12th-grade students, complementing a larger college fair held at Northwest Florida State College later in the day. This dual approach ensures that all students, regardless of transportation limitations, jobs or after school activities, have access to vital information about their post-secondary options.

Principal Lindsey Smith highlighted the event’s role in fostering student engagement and excitement about their futures.

• “It’s really exciting for our students and it’s a great service that we provide here at Fort Walton Beach High School,” Smith said. “It’s great to see them so excited because it means they’re excited about their futures and that’s what we want. The next steps are getting them to our number one goal, which is graduation.”

The school prepares students for the event by discussing interest inventories and providing maps of the fair layout in advance. This preparation allows students to make the most of their time, given the 30-minute window each group has to explore the fair.

John Spolski, Assistant Superintendent and former Principal of Fort Walton Beach High, drove home the value of face-to-face interactions at the fair.

• “Hopefully some of these kids will be really energized with enthusiasm so that they can go to college campuses,” Spolski said. “With this event, these students really get their first glimpse of what a college representative will say or do or give them rather than their digital interactions.”

The college fair is part of a broader initiative to promote career readiness among students, aligning with state efforts to prepare students for their futures. This initiative is supported by recent actions from Florida’s legislature and governor, who have encouraged schools across the state to organize college and career fairs.

• Fort Walton Beach High School has embraced this directive, hosting not only the fall college fair but also a career fair in the spring. This two-pronged approach gives students multiple opportunities throughout the year to explore their post-secondary options.

Assistant Superintendent John Spolski emphasized the district-wide commitment to this initiative. “Our Superintendent and our school board are really big on the school-to-workforce pipeline,” Spolski said, referring to the commitment all the way down to the elementary level.

• By offering age-appropriate courses and experiences at each level, the district aims to help students develop their interests and skills over time.

Principal Smith noted the importance of early exposure to career planning. “I think over the years, the academic curriculum has amped up so much that it’s important that our 9th and 10th graders have this on the forefront of their mind and their goals,” Smith said.

These efforts reflect a shift in educational approach, recognizing the need to start career discussions earlier in students’ academic journeys. By providing multiple touchpoints throughout the year and across grade levels, Fort Walton Beach High School and the district at large are working to ensure all students are well-prepared for their post-graduation paths, whether that involves college, military service, or direct entry into the workforce.

• The fair has already yielded positive results. Dugan shared a story about a student who, through connections made, has been offered an academic scholarship and invited to visit a university campus.

As the event continues to grow, school officials hope it will foster stronger relationships between students and universities. They see it as a crucial step in helping students explore opportunities and plan for their futures, particularly in light of current economic challenges.

“When we talk about finances and the economic situation today, this is the best way to actually put it in their hands to be able to explore these opportunities,” Dugan concluded.