Town college fair helps youths contemplating future

For teens contemplating their futures after high school, the choices can be bewildering.

Funding for college can be daunting. And if that’s not an option, what are the good jobs out there?

To help make choices clearer, Brookhaven Town’s Youth Bureau is offering a “What’s Next? College and Trade Fair for Youths” on March 5 at Town Hall for youths and parents; sign-in is at 6:30 p.m.

Participants are asked to register in advance with the Youth Bureau by Tuesday, Feb. 26 by calling 631-451-8011.

Not only will there be a speaker and representatives from Suffolk County Community College to discuss the college application process, financial aid and scholarship opportunities (they will speak from 6:45-7:45 p.m. and remain afterwards for questions), but other representatives will also be present. Staffers from IBEW Local 25 Electrician’s Union, Northeast Carpenter Apprenticeship Center, and Long Island Beauty School, as well as from the New York City Fire Department, Hunter Business School, St. Joseph’s College, Suffolk County Police Department and the U.S. Army, will be available at tables to speak to those interested.

Frank Petrignani, executive assistant for Brookhaven’s Housing and Human Services, said the program started in 2017 as a free college seminar for students and parents, but it was expanded to showcase the possibilities out there.

“If you don’t know what to do, it’s OK, you can explore a decision at Suffolk County Community College while attending core programs,” Petrignani said. Also, the financial aid talk given by the SCCC representative will be helpful for financial aid tips as a whole.

“A lot of the representatives from the fields mentioned have training programs, which most students don’t know about,” Petrignani said. “So, if a student wants to pursue an interest, they can talk to the representative in the field they may lean towards. It hopefully will get them thinking about what’s next after high school and the opportunities available to them.”