The Press-Enterprise Nearly 70 students in the John W. North High School Education and Human Services Academy spent Friday morning learning what it takes to be an attorney, educator, business owner, nonprofit professional or government official during the annual Job Shadow Day.

The annual event gave students a chance to see what life is really like for people working in different professions. Job Shadow Day also reinforces to students the importance of setting goals and working hard to achieve those goals, no matter what they might be.

North junior Marla Loeza, 17, toured the Riverside Unified School District office. According to organizers of the event, the student is now interested in pursuing a career as a special education teacher because it will allow her to combine her interest in helping people with an interest in teaching.

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North High students listen to Gale Bjelland, a visual and performing arts specialist, describing her job during a job-shadowing day by Riverside students.

Student Brianna Martinez, 16, hopes to become a coroner, but still enjoyed visiting the district office to learn about the many career opportunities in education.

Meanwhile, after touring Riverside’s historic courthouse and meeting Superior Court Judge Sharon J. Waters, 15 students came to Best Best & Krieger in downtown Riverside.

“Every day is different. Issues arise that you don’t anticipate but that’s what makes the job challenging and fun,” said attorney Rahsaan Tilford, who works in the firm’s Ontario office.

Attorney Paeter Garcia urged the group to go to college no matter what career path they choose.

“You don’t have to know what you want to do — just go,” he said.

Students visited their mentors at Riverside Unified School District’s main administrative office, maintenance and operations division, nutrition services and purchasing offices; Longfellow, Patricia Beatty and Woodcrest elementary schools and North High School; Best Best & Krieger law firm; Watermaster Support Systems; Riverside City Hall; California Baptist University; Riverside Community College; Riverside County Office of Education and the Arc of Riverside County’s Nine Zero Project.

You may have met them at Pick and Pledge - now you can tangibly help The Unforgettables.

Save the date for next January you won’t want to miss out.

This is a ones-stop speed dating shop to find out and ‘pick your match’ of a non-profit to give back your time and talents to.

I truly had so much fun at the event.  The Pick Group has an amazing group of wonderful young professionals.  The community is very lucky to have this caliber of up and coming community advocates.  Keep up the great work!

Our 2^nd Annual Pick and Pledge was a success. We celebrated our collective 3,953 recorded hours for 2009 and our first graduating class from our Board Development Training Program.

Our 2010 goal for Pick members is to “Pick” and agency (or 2) and “Pledge” to volunteer your talents and time with them so we can better Riverside.

Tell us What agency and How many hours you plan to “give back” for 2010.

Lastly, a big thanks to our 25+ agencies that came out.