John McNamara, senior
Senior John McNamara has his post-high school plans well thought out, aiming to go into the workforce instead of going to college.
“I’ve been thinking about this for the last two years. I know I never wanted to go to college but I wasn’t sure exactly what I was going to do, but I’m convinced now that I want to work in the automotive industry,” said McNamara.
Currently, McNamara wants to enter the automotive industry and climb the ladder of success in that career path by gaining experience without the need of a college degree.

“I’m hoping to start as a lubrication technician then work my way up, but if that doesn’t work out, I’ll try other trade jobs such as welding or construction,” said McNamara.
Although McNamara has made his intentions clear on what he plans to pursue after high school, he has received backlash from other students. Still, that does not deter him from going after his goals.
“Most people think that I’m crazy for making this decision and they say that college is the only way, but I think depending on your work ethic, you can make it anywhere in life whether you go to college, trade school or just the workforce,” said McNamara.

Zachary Kearny, senior
Senior Zachary Kearny is following a path to law enforcement after high school.
After learning of the Fairfax County Police Department Police Cadet Program through his Criminal Justice Academy class in his sophomore year, Kearny has since participated in this volunteer program, where he receives police training in preparation for pursuing the career later on.
“We get to go out and practice doing security gigs on private property; for example, we run security for the Mosaic District,” said Kearny.

Kearny plans to apply for a police apprentice position later on, where he will continue to receive training and gain experience in the field. Through this position, he can earn an automatic spot in the police academy when he is 20 and a half, after six months of which he is eligible to become an officer.
“I’ve just always wanted to [get a job in] law enforcement. I like being the person that people can go to for help if they need it,” said Kearny. “I thought it was going to be one of those childhood careers that you [grow out of], but then I just never grew out of it.”
Kearny has faced some backlash for his decision, especially after moving to Virginia from Idaho.
“There’ve been times where people would assume the automatic worst in me just because I say I want to be a cop,” said Kearny. “I get why some people don’t like cops, but all cops will say that there’s room for change.”

AJ Brandt, senior
Senior AJ Brandt is taking a gap year after graduation. Facing uncertainty in their future plans, they adopted this plan during the college application season.

“If I’m not 100 percent sure about everything, I don’t really want to spend tens of thousands of dollars [for college],” said Brandt. “I also didn’t want to go straight from high school stress to college stress. I think I want a little break in between.”
Currently, Brandt works as a media technician for Fairfax County, managing sound and lighting for theatre productions and miscellaneous events. They hope to continue this job during their gap year, and also plan to take courses related to audio engineering at Northern Virginia Community College (NOVA).
“I’m planning to work in the audio industry, whether that be in theatre or recording,” said Brandt. “Right now, the plan is to apply for schools next year to study audio engineering or something in that field.”