Wolf Point Schools Career Day Features Many Options

Wolf Point students learned about a variety of opportunities during a career day held at the Wolf Point High School and Junior High School on Wednesday, Feb. 2.

The list of presenters included Marcus Whitehorse of the State Highway Department, Easton Copenhaver of Opportunity Bank, Jeff Kent and T’elle Evans of the Montana Highway Patrol, cosmetologist Octavia Reum, Sgt. Rick Brown of the Army National Guard, tribal judge Stacey Fourstar, drug agent Raul Figueroa, Hailey Vine, Brianna Vine, Shandy Hanks and Mark Sansaver of the Great Northern Development Corp., Kaiden White Bear of the Fort Peck tribal ranch, Wolf Point Mayor Chris Dschaak, Carrie Schumacher of the Fort Peck Community College, Vicky Boysun of Agland Co-Op, Kristen Becker and Jay Saiz of Nemont, Levi Grant of Montana Dakota Utilities, Mecailia Martin and Thea Smith of NEMHS, and Shannon Dionne-Martell and Alexander Smith of the Fort Peck tribal council.

Speaking to junior high students were comedian Donavon Archambault, Carla Payne about nursing, Marty Reum on trauma to healing, Lawrence Hamilton and Stacey Summers from the Fort Peck tribal council and Greg Hunter and Brad Granger of Nemont.

Kent and Evans explained some of the rewards of serving with the Montana Highway Patrol.

“Just like anything, some days are better than others,” Kent said, but he added that he wouldn’t change jobs.

“The three years for me have flown by,” Wolf Point native Evans said. “I don’t know anything I would rather be doing.”

When asked if they conduct drug searches, Kent said that the patrol’s primary job is traffic enforcement. “With that, there’s a lot of DUIs and some transportation of drugs.”

Regarding having to respond to fatality crashes, Kent explained, “It’s one of those things that somebody has to do that. We investigate it as throughly as we can. If loved ones have questions, we want to have answers.”

Kent and three troopers cover the northeastern corner of Montana ranging from Saco to Culbertson, up to the Canadian border and south to Circle. Evans believes the area covers 13,000 square miles.

Drug agent Figueroa told students, “It’s a scary job at times, but it’s a rewarding job.”

He remarked that it’s the tribal way to protect each other like warriors. “We protect our people,” Figueroa said. “That’s how I always lived my life.”

Figueroa said a lot of the people that he deals with aren’t bad individuals but rather just confused or upset.

He explained to the students that it’s beneficial to tell law enforcement about illegal activity taking place. “Are you a warrior willing to fight for people?” he said. “Is it right to do it or not? Change the world for the better not for the worse.”

Grant of MDU told students that energy jobs pay well and that it’s possible to earn promotions.

“If you are getting older and don’t want to work outside anymore, you can change and go in an office and become an engineer,” Grant said.

He also provided a list of colleges and technical schools where students can attend before obtaining a job in an energy field.

Archambault, a comedian, told junior high students that there are many career options.

“If you have a passion in life and follow it, you can make an honest living doing that,” Archambault said. “Everybody is good at something. The belief in yourself is the next step.”

He noted that people should make sure they surround themselves with positive individuals.

“Have a dream, have a goal,” Archambault said. JOM assisted with bringing some of the tribal representatives in to speak.