The Two Harbors High School gymnasium turned into a circuit of booths, raffles, and career pitches on April 30 as students jogged from table to table collecting stickers, swag, and ideas about what life after graduation might look like.
The Lake County Chamber of Commerce and Lake Superior School District brought in dozens of employers, colleges, and community groups, with THHS DECA students helping run the event.
By early afternoon, the gym was loud, crowded, and full of teenagers trying out a bit of everything, including the popular CAT simulator, where a long line formed.
For Sam Halac, the lift operations and recreation manager at Lutsen Mountains, the day was a chance to show students what a job on the North Shore can look like. Halac moved to Minnesota in August and was working his first job fair in the region. He spent years at a resort in Colorado and has seen how early exposure can shape a student’s sense of possibility.
“My favorite part is working outside. I get to ski during my work days,” he said. “It’s a cool setting to work in, a beautiful setting to work in. I love the challenge of providing skiing to people. There’s all sorts of challenges that we face on a daily basis, and getting to overcome those and work alongside a great team is really a fun position.”
Students stopped at his booth with a mix of curiosity and surprise. Some didn’t know Lutsen existed. Others lit up the moment they heard the word “ski.”
“When they hear it’s a ski area, if they’re skiers and snowboarders, you see their face light up and they get really excited about it,” Halac said. “It’s a cool way to get the wheels turning for them and help them start to think about maybe what they’re going to do after school.”
He sees value in reaching both age groups. High schoolers, he said, are close to being able to step into real jobs, especially with summer hiring around the corner. Middle schoolers can’t work yet, but they can start imagining themselves in roles they didn’t know existed.
“To be able to see some of the opportunities that are available out there and get their brain working, I think, is a really good opportunity,” he said.
Across the gym, Erin Mecklin, the VP of Operations at Two Harbors Federal Credit Union, was having a different kind of conversation. Her booth focused less on recruiting and more on financial education. The bank doesn’t hire many students straight out of high school, but Mecklin said the fair gives her team a chance to teach skills students will need no matter where they end up.
“It’s been a nice format this year. They divided it up a little bit better, so it’s been consistent,” she said.
“We ask the kids questions versus them asking us questions. We do a financial education piece versus job fair.”
Mecklin said she enjoys the variety in her work and the chance to visit schools.
“We do a ton of school education, so it’s kind of our favorite piece, and that’s why we’re here,” she said.
At the other end of the gym, where school booths were lined up in a neat row, Gianna Hoppenjan from the University of Wisconsin Eau Claire was fielding questions from students who were already thinking about majors, sports, and campus life. It was her first time in Two Harbors, and she was struck by how prepared the younger students were.
“I’m really surprised by the middle schoolers,” she said. “They ask really good questions for middle schoolers. Even the freshmen have been amazing. Nursing has been big, engineering’s been a big one, and a lot of sports questions.”
Hoppenjan said she chose Eau Claire for its nature access, smaller class sizes, and distance from home.
“I just really love the campus. It’s so beautiful,” she said, pointing to an aerial photograph of the school. The image made it easy to see why students might picture themselves there.
Employers and colleges said the steady flow of students made the event worthwhile. For Halac, the day reinforced why showing up matters.
“I think when you get to see professionals from the area, it’s a good way to try to see yourself in these positions,” he said. “It’s a really cool way for them to get to see exactly what we do and learn about some career possibilities.”
