Rhinelander High School students were given the opportunity to explore some of the opportunities available to them locally at the first Taste of the Future career event on Jan. 9 at RHS.

According to Kim, the district’s Community Education Coordinator, 32 businesses attended the event, along with 13 high school departments. Swisher was pleased with the turnout.

“This was a great cooperation between the businesses and the high school departments,” said Swisher. “Our local businesses have been telling us that they want to reach out to local students and families, and this is an attempt at doing that.”

Swisher said that the main goal of the evening was to teach students that there are opportunities for them to earn a quality living here in the Northwoods. “There are good jobs available here, but a lot of kids seem to think otherwise,” said Swisher. “We don’t want to lose our best and brightest.”

RHS Principal Paul Keats, in his first year on the job, was excited by the turnout, both of businesses and of families and students. He said events such as the “Taste of the Future” are a terrific way to reach out to the community.

“I’m absolutely thrilled with the turnout and how things have been run,” said Keats. “It’s so important for students to get to see the various career paths they have available to them. It’s also important for parents to see that there are opportunities available to their children.”

Keats said that the feedback he’d received from both businesses and families was overwhelmingly positive.

“People were really excited to take part in this event,” said Keats. “Being a first time event, we were a little worried about a crowd showing up, but they’re here and happy.”

Keats said that he and Swisher have already begun conversations on how to improve the event next year, should the district hold it again.

“I certainly hope the district will do it again,” he said. “It’s so great to see students learning about our community.”