lakola Andrews
High School Social Worker
Warren County High School
Warrenton, NC USA
Milestones
My road in life has been direct.
I graduated from college, attained an internship, and got married all in the same semester. This made my life go at a faster pace.
I moved from my birthplace of Washington D.C. to North Carolina for more social work opportunities that the state had to offer. I began my job working with patients that were HIV / AIDS positive.
I left that job because there wasn't as much involvement with the patients that I wanted. Next, I moved on to my first full time social work job as a crisis intake social worker.
Since I desired more direct client work, I left that job to work in foster care. In foster care, I discovered my passion for working with kids because there were always new challenges to solve.
Even though I loved that job, my family started growing and the job demand did not align with my family values. From there, I began to work with the children developmental agency.
I later found out that the job also demanded long hours where I had to miss family events, which made me switch my job once again. My next position was as a developmental therapist.
My love for working with children grew and I was able to develop a big confidence in my passion. Finally, I made my big switch to working as a social worker in the high school setting.
Education
High School
Career
High School Social Worker
I'm a high school social worker that provides an outlet for students while also helping them day to day.
Career Roadmap
My work combines:
My work combines:
Education
Government
Helping People
Day to Day
A typical day in the life is never predicted. No day is identical but my job is very fast paced. Having an agenda is normal, but also adjusting to situations that will take you away from a typical normal day is expected. Things are constantly changing my schedule, so being able to know how to manage the changes is a regular thing for my job.
Advice for Getting Started
Here's the first step for high school students
First it's best to find what actually sparks your interest rather than what will make you the most money. This will help avoid a curvy road and produce a straighter path to the career you enjoy. From there, you should do research on colleges that provide the specific study that you want to major in. There are many options that fall into similar categories, so it's best to make sure you choose specifically. It's then best to take internships and hopefully start applying for jobs.
Recommended Education
My career is related to what I studied. I'd recommend the path I took:
Hurdles
The Noise I Shed
From Society in General:
"Growing up, there wasn't much negative influence in my community. There was more of a lack of resources that put a limitation on my journey. It's hard to access programs in this area."
Q&A
Interviewed By
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