Students at George Rogers Clark High School were paired with mentors from the community Wednesday during Operation Preparation.

According to school counselor Elton Parish, Operation Preparation is a statewide program designed to give students access to professionals in their local communities. The mentors give students advice on their career goals and insight into what they can expect in the professional world.

While Parish said GRC wasn’t able to get as many mentors this year as the school did in 2016, the event still went well.

“It’s good to see the kids engaged,” he said. “This is a good opportunity for them to talk to someone outside the school about what their plans are.”

GRC sophomore Davonte Boyd said he spoke with a mentor to get some advice on a potential career in sports.

“I’d like to play football in college,” Boyd said. “But if that doesn’t work out I’d like to be a barber.”

Boyd said he found the meeting with his mentor to be very helpful.

This is the fourth year GRC has taken part in Operation Preparation, Parish said.

According to the Kentucky Department of Education website, school counselors in the state face an average 450:1 student to counselor ratio, presenting challenges for establishing effective advising programs.

Operation Preparation is a joint effort of the Kentucky Department of Education and the Department of Workforce Development and provides a powerful opportunity for schools, students, parents and communities to collaborate in the process of effective advising and focus attention on the importance of planning for college or a career.