CHSU Hosts a Professional Development Class for High School Students

Last week, CHSU hosted a PEARL: Professional Education and Readiness • Leadership and Lifelong Learning Summer Class. This course was targeted to high school students and first year college students to strengthen their skills in preparation for their future career and professional development.
This unique course focuses on professionalism, self-development, teamwork, study skills, growth vs fixed mindset, and leadership. Many of the lessons were incorporated from the national bestseller book, “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens” by Sean Covey. The book discusses the seven habits that teenagers can implement into their professional and personal lives to help them become the best version of themselves.
Our Director of Academic Affairs, McKenna Salazar instructed the class with assistance from the College of Pharmacy’s Academic Affairs Coordinator, Rosemary Sanchez and Pearl Graduate, Sean Mount. Students were taught topics that included communication skills, job interview skills, conflict resolution, morals, emotional intelligence, and other important life skills that will prepare them for college and their careers.
The students also engaged in interactive and entertaining team-building activities throughout the three days. One of the activities that the students enjoyed was the tallest tower team-building exercise, where the students worked together to build the tallest tower with resources, such as spaghetti noodles and marshmallows.
Students were also given the opportunity to take the Myers and Briggs Type Indicator assessment. This allowed students to get a better understanding about their personality and how they interact with others, so that they can ultimately enhance how they communicate, learn and work.
For the class, students developed personal mission statements and created a poster to showcase their personal values and goals. On the last day of the camp, students presented their personal mission statements to the class.
Thank you to all the students that participated in the PEARL class, we look forward to hosting it again next year!