On November 14th, 2024 Centennial’s second Eagle Expo will be taking place. The event is meant for seniors to show off their resumes and experience to Centennial staff and the community at large. Here’s what you can expect from the event.
The Eagle Expo starts at 5:30, seniors will be set up in the halls of the school. They will be showcasing their Google Site portfolios or LinkedIn profiles which they’ve been working on since last year. Participation in the event is a requirement to graduate, with it going towards your advisory grade and your career credit. “Graduation will not be possible without participation in the event.” Kasey Church, a senior success teacher, responded when asked for comment.
The expectation for seniors is to dress professionally, prepared and rehearsed, enunciate and speak slowly and clearly, are able to maintain on topic throughout the presentation, stand straight and maintain eye contact, be able to answer all the questions asked to them, have positive facial and body expression, have a completed portfolio and must have produced an “exceptional” portfolio. This is outlined in the grading rubric handed out to adults participating in the event. Seniors are expected to go over their portfolio with at least three attendees.
Despite the importance of the Expo being stated by administration, many students question the value of the event. Senior Connor Bennett has expressed that his frustration is rooted in the fact that the requirements for the event are obtuse. The creation of a linkedIn account or a google site doesn’t actually reflect what you need to apply to a job. “It feels stupid, unnecessary and kind of out of touch with what jobs require nowadays.” Connor had been on a job search for a while with him just recently getting a job at Dutch Bros. Last year Connor forecasted a class because it would give him a career credit, this year he was told by his counselor it would be switched to an elective credit because of Eagle Expo. Connor believes this decision is completely unfair to him and all the other students affected by it. He already forecasted his schedule with the class in mind and can’t move around his schedule. All because of something out of his control.
The Eagle Expo is still a new event at Centennial, with many people still not used to the change. It makes sense that it’s still going through changes and stress testing, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t a reason to question the point of it. Despite some people’s reservations, the event is still going to happen on the 14th. A good way of showing support to the seniors who need it is to come to the Expo and cheer them on.
