70 colleges and military representatives gathered at Fort Walton Beach High School on Wednesday for the school’s third annual “Vikings SET SAIL” College Fair, offering students a comprehensive look at their post-secondary options.
- The event, which began at 9 a.m. in the gymnasium and rotated through sessions, has grown significantly since its inception. This year brought together public and private schools, technical institutions, SEC universities and all branches of the military, exceeding expectations from last year.
Dr. Linda Dugan, Professional School Counselor at the school who spearheads the event, sees the fair as essential preparation for students’ futures in an era where career readiness has become a cornerstone of Florida education.
“One of the biggest things in the state of Florida is career readiness,” Dugan said. “In order to do that, we’ve got to help our students plan.”
The college fair is part of a broader initiative to promote career readiness among students, aligning with state efforts to prepare students for their futures. This initiative is supported by recent actions from Florida’s legislature and governor, who have encouraged schools across the state to organize college and career fairs.
- Fort Walton Beach High School has embraced this directive, hosting not only the fall college fair but also a career fair in the spring.
The fair caters to 10th, 11th, and 12th-grade students, complementing a larger college fair held at Northwest Florida State College later in the day. This dual approach ensures that all students, regardless of transportation limitations or after-school activities, have access to important information about their post-secondary options.
What sets this fair apart is the hands-on support students receive from their own educators. Throughout the gym, teachers, administrators and counselors actively encourage students to visit tables and speak with representatives. In many cases, these educators know exactly where to direct students based on their knowledge of each student’s dreams and aspirations, helping make introductions while building confidence and encouraging independence.
- “We have all of our counselors and administrators here, along with our testing coordinator. I call them the ‘frontline people,’” Dugan said. “Sometimes it’s helping them lead the way, but it takes a family of people to support that.”
This supportive environment proves particularly valuable for students who might be shy or hesitant to approach college representatives on their own. The familiar school setting, combined with encouragement from trusted educators, helps students overcome barriers and engage meaningfully with their future opportunities.
The preparation extends beyond the day of the fair. This year, counselors visited classrooms beforehand to teach proper etiquette and help students formulate meaningful questions for college representatives. This also included ensuring that students shook hands and looked the reps in the eye when talking.
The school also introduced students to Xello, a platform that connects students with colleges, assists with applications and links them to scholarships and career resources.
- “If we don’t at least show them the road on how to get there, they won’t have that confidence,” Dugan explained. “They need to know what questions to ask, because you don’t just walk up to somebody and say, ‘tell me about your university’ so we helped them prepare with good questions.”
The investment in preparation has yielded tangible results. Last year, several students received scholarship offers on the spot, including one student who was offered a scholarship from Florida Tech during the fair. Beyond immediate opportunities, students build lasting relationships with college representatives, collecting business cards and establishing contacts for future college visits.
John Spolski, Assistant Superintendent and former principal of Fort Walton Beach High School, emphasized the authentic nature of these interactions as he watched students engage with representatives.
“We want our young people to get engaged with each of the college reps here today,” Spolski said. “The beautiful thing is there’s two-year and 4-year schools, both public and private, and along with our military here today.”
The partnerships formed through events like this reflect the district’s broader commitment to student success. “They’re all partners,” Spolski said of the college representatives. “At Okaloosa County School District, we are really big on the school-to-workforce pipeline, and that comes from our Superintendent and our school board.”
- The benefits extend beyond students to faculty members, who also connect with college representatives. Art instructors speak with colleges about creative programs, while other teachers explore opportunities at institutions like Full Sail University’s digital programs, enhancing their ability to guide students in the classroom.
For Dugan, success is measured one student at a time, reflecting the personal investment educators make in each young person’s future.
“Even if it’s only one student who walks out of here today feeling like they got what they needed or spoke to the school they had hoped to…just one student…then it’s worth what we’re doing,” she said. “They are worth it.”
