Futures in Focus: Eighth Grade Students Enjoy Hands-On Career Exploration
Nov 26, 2025
Workforce Solutions Deep East Texas
On Wednesday, October 22, 2025, Workforce Solutions Deep East Texas, in conjunction with Better Together and the Stephen F. Austin State University Arnold Center for Entrepreneurship, organized and hosted Futures in Focus for 8th grade students. Previously called “Gateway to your Future,” the program began in 2023, and this was its third installation. The event’s purpose is to give young people in Deep East Texas the opportunity to explore careers that are high-demand and high-paying in the Deep East Texas area, with the goal of enhancing the workforce and the economic wellbeing of our community. Previously, 11th and 12th grade students were invited to participate, but the shift this year to focus on 8th grade students stems from students having the opportunity at the end of their 8th grade year to select a Career and Technical Education (CTE) pathway offered by their high school.
Futures in Focus includes pathways from all along the educational spectrum: jobs that students can seek shortly after high school, jobs that require some technical training, jobs that require a university degree, and even careers that offer opportunities at different educational levels. In 2025, SFA became a key partner in organizing Futures in Focus, which included significant time and effort by SFA staff, use of SFA facilities, and t-shirt sponsorship from the Arnold Center for Entrepreneurship.
Seven hundred and thirty-eight students from 8 different school districts participated in Futures in Focus, in addition to 4 students from homeschool groups. Participating middle schools were from: Nacogdoches ISD, Central Heights ISD, Garrison ISD, Chireno ISD, Cushing ISD, Martinsville ISD, Woden ISD, and Douglas ISD. Additionally, 20 vendors (regional employers as well as SFA and community college / junior college representatives) participated in Futures in Focus, offering 33 interactive stations for students.
Student and staff feedback collected at the conclusion of the event indicated that more than half of the students and staff who attended felt that the event exposed students to new career paths that they otherwise would not have considered. Favored activities were virtual reality headset simulations, firefighting and welding demonstrations, and a CPR station. Participants were grateful for the variety of opportunities and the hands-on focus of the event.
Thank you to all who participated and contributed to making this day meaningful and enriching for our 8th grade students.
Please enjoy the following photos from Futures in Focus:
