Hoover High School held an exciting Career Day on Wednesday as part of College Week. During lunch, three special guest speakers—from Toyota, a local firefighter, and Acura—visited campus to share what their jobs were like and how they built their careers.

To help explain the purpose behind the event, counseling intern Will Wolfswinkel shared more about why Career Day mattered to students.

“Career Day offered students an opportunity to meet professionals from their own neighborhood. Students were able to ask questions about the professionals’ career pathways and how they could set themselves up for success as they pursued their own goals,” Wolfswinkel explained.

The speakers visited three classrooms—1101, 2101, and 2103—where students listened, asked questions, and learned about different fields. From the hands-on world of firefighting to the innovative careers found at companies like Toyota and Acura, students gained insight into a wide range of opportunities.

One of the speakers, firefighter Timothy Vallejos, also offered insight into what motivated him in his line of work.

“Serving the citizens and public of Los Angeles, saving life and property, and supporting the community were all important parts of the job. Taking on a leadership role and helping people as much as possible meant a lot to me,” Vallejos said.