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Students run 'Voices in the Field' conference; Rock River and Whiting seniors describe capstone work
Summary
Student advisory councils from Rock River and Whiting High School presented a student‑led 'Voices in the Field' career conference and described capstone projects and offsite presentations. Students said the event shifted leadership and planning to teens, involved multiple Laramie‑area schools, and produced leadership, networking and presentation
Students from Rock River and Whiting High School told the Albany County School District #1 board at its May work session that a student‑driven conference, Voices in the Field, gave local students leadership, career exploration and networking opportunities.
Student presenters said the conference, which began as an adult‑led event, was restructured so student advisory councils at Rock River (RACC) and Whiting (WACC) planned the day. Students described using QR codes for workshop signups, running skits and icebreakers, recruiting presenters from University of Wyoming and area schools, and distributing engagement tickets that attendees exchanged for prizes.
Students described the conference as a way to make career exploration more relatable. A student from Rock River asked rhetorically, “Why have a student conference without a student's perspective?” and students said RACC and WACC met repeatedly through the year to plan the event, then ran it as hosts and facilitators. Presenters said participating schools included Rock River, Whiting, the UW lab school, Laramie Middle School and Laramie High School.
Whiting students described capstone and advisory work that included developing leadership and classroom‑based proposals; one senior said the experience helped build confidence for post‑high‑school plans. Students said they brought the concept to a national level by presenting aspects of Voices in the Field at a NASF conference and that they will present at a regional right‑initiative event in Riverton.
Board members praised the event for student leadership and asked how planning challenges were handled; student presenters said the largest hurdles were logistics and avoiding overwhelm, and that the main takeaways were improved organization, networking and confidence. Trustees were invited to attend related events and student graduation activities.
No formal board actions were taken on the presentation; it was an informational item that students used to describe their capstone and leadership work.
