Most kids had no idea what professionals really did and what the work involved. That includes school reformers in the White House, in Congress and in state capitals. They've moved education onto the front pages, but their proposals fail to deal with the practical notion of connecting kids with an adult profession. Often kids are clueless Until they stumble into college, kids are clueless about the rigorous academics necessary to be an engineer, a computer scientist or a doctor. Most professional organizations, such as the American Medical Association, have virtually no high school or youth-mentoring programs, or they reserve their education efforts for college or graduate students.
Trouble is, by then it's too late.
For most professions, kids need to start their preparation at least by ninth grade. They could use some serious real-world guidance by the professionals then, not six years later. A few professional organizations are rolling up their sleeves and creating programs that connect with a few bright teenagers and teach them about the real world. Twenty teens were selected in an international competition for a four-year program that culminates in 2003 with the centennial of the Wright brothers' historic flight. But for the most part, these efforts are scattered and don't reach the majority of kids.