The outside world is not so scary.

 

That’s one lesson Alex Gladsjo wanted to convey when she returned to Mapleton Early Career Prep High School (MEC Prep) on September 6, 2022, for its first ever Alumni Panel. Gladsjo, who graduated from the school in 2016, was joined by about a dozen other alumni, who spoke to about 350 current students about life after MEC.

 

The panelists discussed their current career paths (which ranged from attending college to helping manage businesses), why they chose them and what advice they would give to audience members. The event was just one example of how the school prepares its students for college, career, and life.

 

Gladsjo is now a freelance architecture and portrait photographer. She said she was happy to come back to share her experience and let current students know they can succeed after they leave the school, too.

 

“This school is amazing because we are taught how to write resumes, interview successfully, dress and act professionally and get internships,” she said. “Having four years of practice to build those skills is an opportunity a lot of people don’t get, but MEC kids do.”

 

MEC Prep is a Big Picture high school located on the Skyview Campus. #WeAreMapleton #mapletonmondays