by Raeleen Lemay, Contributor
With less than three months remaining in the school year, the pressure for Grade 12 students to decide what comes next is increasing.
There are currently more than 1,500 Grade 12 students in the Abbotsford School District, and W.J. Mouat Secondary has the largest number of all the schools, with 367 students looking forward to graduating this year. That's 33 more than Yale, and about 100 more than Bateman.
The majority of Mouat's Grade12s are planning to continue their education after high school, whether it be in college, university, or any number of alternative post-secondary institutions.
Not all students have identified what they want to pursue as a career, however, many know precisely what they wish to do in the future.
For example, Ashlyen Singh plans to practice as a family doctor, then continue on to work with Doctors Without Borders, which is an organization that primarily works overseas, assisting people who can't afford or access medical treatment.
Another graduating Mouat student, Madison Mayert, has decided to use her French Immersion background to her advantage. She plans to take a translations program and eventually work for the government.
Though it presents a higher level of difficulty for students, the French Immersion program is extremely beneficial. As stated by Nicole Provost, "being in Canada, [speaking French] helps you get jobs a lot easier... There are more opportunities for bilingual people."
Not only does the program give students an advantage as future working Canadians, many of the students enrolled in the program have been able to travel to places such as Quebec and France. Being exposed to authentic French culture is a learning experience, and most feel that these excursions have helped them become more well-rounded people.
It is understood among students that obtaining a job right after university may be difficult, considering the current economy and scarce job opportunities. However, Singh is optimistic and hopeful that in a few years' time the situation will have improved and that acquiring a job might be less of a challenge as it is presently.
Despite the impending difficulties of the future, this year's graduates are maintaining a positive attitude as they strive toward their goals.
Raeleen Lemay is a student from W.J. Mouat Secondary who completed two weeks at the Abbotsford News as part of a Work Experience class.