YFCS-2/3.4, New Sept 2000. Molly Gregg, Extension 4-H Program Specialist

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Wellness Education Project Building a Positive You!

"More To Do"

If you have completed all seven levels of the Alabama 4-H Wellness Education Project, there is little doubt that you have discovered new interests and found that you have many hidden talents. You also should be well on your way to developing patterns of behavior and lifelong skills that will help you to continue the never-ending goal of building a positive you. You are a lifelong learner about you.

Many occupational fields fall under the category of wellness education. The following are career possibilities that you may want to investigate as you begin to explore your career interests:

Health Diagnostic Occupations

• Chiropractors
• Dental assistants
• Dental hygienists
• Dentists
• Health services managers
• Medical assistants
• Optometrists
• Physician's assistants
• Physicians
• Podiatrists

Dietetic, Nursing, Pharmacy, and Therapy Occupations

• Dieticians and nutritionists
• Home health and personal care aides
• Licensed practical nurses
• Nursing and psychiatric aides
• Occupational therapists
• Occupational assistants and aides
• Pharmacists
• Pharmacy technicians and assistants
• Physical therapist assistants and aides
• Physical therapists
• Recreational therapists
• Registered nurses
• Respiratory therapists
• Speech/language pathologists and audiologists

Health Technology and Technical Occupations

• Cardiovascular technologists and technicians
• Clinical laboratory technologists and technicians
• Electro-neurodiagnostic technologists
• Emergency medical technicians and paramedics
• Nuclear medicine technicians
• Radiology technologists
• Surgical technologists

Communications, Design, Performing Arts, and Related Occupations (for those who discovered that they are great communicators or have creative talents they want to pursue)

• Actors, directors, and producers
• Advertising, marketing, and public relations managers
• Announcers
• Architects
• Dancers and choreographers
• Landscape architects
• Musicians or singers
• News analysts, reporters, and correspondents
• Photographers and camera operators
• Public relations specialists

Service Occupations: Food, Health, and Personal

• Barbers, cosmetologists
• Chefs, cooks, and other kitchen workers
• Flight attendants
• Food and beverage service providers
• Caterers
• Restaurant managers
• School, retirement home, and hospital food service directors

As you read through these potential occupations, mark the ones that sound interesting. Record in your 4-H journal each career that you want to explore. Rank them according to your interest. Talk to your parents, teachers, 4-H leader, and school guidance counselor about your choices. Determine the education and training needed to pursue the job. Find out if the position offers opportunities for advancement. Determine the starting salary for each career. The best way to learn about careers that you are interested in is to identify individuals in your community who have those jobs. Invite them to lunch and talk to them about what they do. Ask these individuals to let you accompany them to work to better understand what they do. Write about what you learn and your experiences in your 4-H journal.

You can find out a lot of information on various career opportunities in the library or on the Internet. Before you begin an Internet search, study these safety rules to think about, follow, and keep in your 4-H journal.

Internet Safety

The Internet can be a great place to explore the world and learn new information. It can also be a pretty scary place too. You don't open your door to strangers at home, so don't open your life to strangers on the Internet because they are not always who they pretend to be. Follow these basic safety rules to help keep your Internet experience enjoyable.

• I will not give out personal information (such as my address, telephone number, parents' work address/telephone number, or the name and location of my school) without my parents' permission.
• I will tell my parents right away if I come across any information that makes me feel uncomfortable.
• I will never agree to get together with someone I "meet" online without first checking with my parents. If my parents agree to the meeting, I will be sure that it is in a public place and I will bring my mother or father with me.
• I will never send a person my picture or anything else personal without first checking with my parents.
• I will not respond to any messages that are mean or in any way make me feel uncomfortable. It is not my fault if I get a message like that. If I do, I will tell my parents right away so they can contact the service provider.
• I will talk with my parents so we can set up rules for going online. We will decide on the time of day that I can be online, the length of time I can be online, and appropriate areas for me to visit. I will not access other areas or break these rules without their permission.
• I will not give out my Internet password to anyone (even my best friends) other than my parents.
• I will be a good online citizen and not do anything that hurts other people or is against the law.