Sophomore Girls Hear About Nontraditional Jobs
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
By David [email protected]
Thursday morning, about 225 high school sophomore girls from six area school corporations heard one of those surgeons speak at the 12th annual Nontraditional Employment for Women Workshop. The event his year was held at Quaker Haven Camp, Syracuse.
In its 12th year, the NEW Workshop provides an opportunity for 10th-grade girls to investigate careers they might not otherwise have thought they could do. Participating school corporations include Warsaw, Tippecanoe Valley, Whitko, Wawasee, West Noble and Fairfield, according to Warsaw Area Career Center Program Specialist Diana Yarian.
“It keeps changing, evolving who we get to be here,” Yarian said.
This year, about one-third of the women are from the medical field, one-third from other white-collar careers and the remaining third from blue-collar jobs. Careers included an entomologist, architect, athletic trainer, attorney, author/novelist and canine trainer.
“This gym is filled with women who have taken a vacation day, an unpaid day, to be with you,” WACC Director Ronna Kawsky told the sophomores at the start of the workshop. “Every woman in the gym wants you to be all that you can be. Being a woman should allow you to do anything. We all know how talented you are.”
She said the workshop is all about exploring possibilities. She told the girls to be brave and learn about careers and everything they entail.
Dr. Lisa M. Ronback, an orthopedic surgeon, was the guest speaker.
She is a member of the Woodlawn Hospital medical staff in Rochester, according to information provided by Kawsky. She began her orthopedic career in 1996 when she established Rochester Orthopedics.
Ronback received her medical degree from the University of Toronto, Canada, and completed her residency in orthopaedic surgery at McGill University, Montreal, Canada. She earned a fellowship in upper extremity surgery at St. Michael’s Hospital, Toronto. Board certified by the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery, Ronback is a member of the AAOS and a fellow of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada.
Ronback told the students that less than 100 years ago, women didn’t have the right to vote in this country. During World War II, more women had access to jobs. She shared stories of women in her own family who were limited in work and dress because of their gender.
In high school, she said she never thought of trying a nontraditional career. Now, she looks at her 16-year-old niece who is deciding between being a doctor or engineer and finds the whole journey of women to be phenomenal.
She told the high school girls to keep an open mind because nontraditional careers might offer them better opportunities.
She then shared her own path to becoming an orthopedic surgeon.
“Eighteen years after starting my practice, I still love what I do. I love the independence. I work with a great team, but I call the shots,” Ronback said.
Her 10 steps to a cutting-edge career included: explore, feed your mind, find your voice, fail, choose wisely, don’t expect an easy road, question everything, look for people who lift you up, find a mentor and pay it forward.
“Once you’re successful in the career you choose, look back and give a hand-up to the next girl in line,” she said.
She then shared a video about orthopedic surgeons geared toward women and minorities from the AAOS before the students broke out into roundtable discussions.
Lyn Crighton, environmental scientist and executive director of the Tippecanoe Watershed Foundation, said the NEW Workshop is “so well organized and designed. The people planning it do such a good job.”
She said it was a great idea to have it every year. She didn’t care if they ended up wanting to be in her field or not, it was just great the girls got to be exposed to all of the opportunities out there for them.
After lunch, the sophomores were able to try their hands at some of the careers like electrical work or meteorology.[[In-content Ad]]
Thursday morning, about 225 high school sophomore girls from six area school corporations heard one of those surgeons speak at the 12th annual Nontraditional Employment for Women Workshop. The event his year was held at Quaker Haven Camp, Syracuse.
In its 12th year, the NEW Workshop provides an opportunity for 10th-grade girls to investigate careers they might not otherwise have thought they could do. Participating school corporations include Warsaw, Tippecanoe Valley, Whitko, Wawasee, West Noble and Fairfield, according to Warsaw Area Career Center Program Specialist Diana Yarian.
“It keeps changing, evolving who we get to be here,” Yarian said.
This year, about one-third of the women are from the medical field, one-third from other white-collar careers and the remaining third from blue-collar jobs. Careers included an entomologist, architect, athletic trainer, attorney, author/novelist and canine trainer.
“This gym is filled with women who have taken a vacation day, an unpaid day, to be with you,” WACC Director Ronna Kawsky told the sophomores at the start of the workshop. “Every woman in the gym wants you to be all that you can be. Being a woman should allow you to do anything. We all know how talented you are.”
She said the workshop is all about exploring possibilities. She told the girls to be brave and learn about careers and everything they entail.
Dr. Lisa M. Ronback, an orthopedic surgeon, was the guest speaker.
She is a member of the Woodlawn Hospital medical staff in Rochester, according to information provided by Kawsky. She began her orthopedic career in 1996 when she established Rochester Orthopedics.
Ronback received her medical degree from the University of Toronto, Canada, and completed her residency in orthopaedic surgery at McGill University, Montreal, Canada. She earned a fellowship in upper extremity surgery at St. Michael’s Hospital, Toronto. Board certified by the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery, Ronback is a member of the AAOS and a fellow of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada.
Ronback told the students that less than 100 years ago, women didn’t have the right to vote in this country. During World War II, more women had access to jobs. She shared stories of women in her own family who were limited in work and dress because of their gender.
In high school, she said she never thought of trying a nontraditional career. Now, she looks at her 16-year-old niece who is deciding between being a doctor or engineer and finds the whole journey of women to be phenomenal.
She told the high school girls to keep an open mind because nontraditional careers might offer them better opportunities.
She then shared her own path to becoming an orthopedic surgeon.
“Eighteen years after starting my practice, I still love what I do. I love the independence. I work with a great team, but I call the shots,” Ronback said.
Her 10 steps to a cutting-edge career included: explore, feed your mind, find your voice, fail, choose wisely, don’t expect an easy road, question everything, look for people who lift you up, find a mentor and pay it forward.
“Once you’re successful in the career you choose, look back and give a hand-up to the next girl in line,” she said.
She then shared a video about orthopedic surgeons geared toward women and minorities from the AAOS before the students broke out into roundtable discussions.
Lyn Crighton, environmental scientist and executive director of the Tippecanoe Watershed Foundation, said the NEW Workshop is “so well organized and designed. The people planning it do such a good job.”
She said it was a great idea to have it every year. She didn’t care if they ended up wanting to be in her field or not, it was just great the girls got to be exposed to all of the opportunities out there for them.
After lunch, the sophomores were able to try their hands at some of the careers like electrical work or meteorology.[[In-content Ad]]
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