By Rinna Waddhany

| The Salt Lake Tribune

Rowland Hall is taking students out of the classroom and into the real world to explore possible career paths ranging from film editing to genetic research to home mechanics.

It’s part of a new program, known as Beyond the Classroom, that aims to give freshman and sophomore students real-life encounters that will shape their careers, serve the community and develop leadership.

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"It’s an opportunity to prepare kids for life beyond high school," Upper School Principal Lee Thomsen said.

Rowland Hall has set aside three half-days for the program this year, one during each trimester. On those days, students vacate the school for half a day to visit a workplace of their choice.

In mid-January, for instance, one group of students visited a DNA lab at the University of Utah. The high-schoolers spent the morning learning about microscopy, a lesson that included examining green fluorescent proteins on a computer screen with the help of a half-million-dollar microscope. Senior lab specialist, Matt Curtiss, said the research is significant in neuroscience and cancer studies.

"Although we do basic research," Curtiss told a group of Rowland Hall sophomores, "we have to link it to what society feels is worthwhile."

Peter Hayes, a Rowland Hall biology teacher and supervisor of the lab expedition, said the opportunity exposed kids to different aspects of science.

"The wisdom of the program is to give the kids choices," Hayes said. "It allows them to better create their futures."

Hayes has been teaching at Rowland Hall for 17 years. But he said the program enriches his experience as well.

One of the students who visited the lab was Anna Hardy, an international student from Hamilton, New Zealand, who is attending Rowland Hall for a month. Hardy said she was excited to get to see what cells actually look like. Although she is uncertain about what career path to pursue, she said the trip to the lab helped her out.

"It sounded very interesting," she said. "It gives me more of an idea."

Dana Sowby, associate director of career services at the University of Utah, said college and career paths often overlap, so it’s a good idea for high-schoolers to get practical experiences before they decide on a course.

"Career development is a process, creating an opportunity to learn and grow," Sowby said.

Students who are exposed to opportunities such as Beyond the Classroom can develop good decision-making, she said.

"I don’t know if that would automatically equate to someone making a decision that will last," she said, "but it can give a general direction."

As for the Rowland Hall juniors and seniors? The program help those nearing graduation to find roles in their communities. Juniors are asked to participate in a service program with a local nonprofit organization. Seniors are asked to devise and complete a two-and-a-half week internship.

"What we’ve tried to do is engage parents and alumni, and business people in the community," Thomsen said.