East Middle School buzzed with energy March 6 as dozens of professionals, alumni and community leaders filled the building for the school’s annual EMS Talks, a daylong event designed to help students explore future careers and personal pathways. 

“Sometimes one story, one speaker, one moment can completely change your direction,” eighth grader Melissa Turcios said of the event’s impact. “It did for me.” 

The day began in the school library, where guest speakers gathered for breakfast and conversation before students formally welcomed them and thanked them for sharing their journeys. 

EMS Talks was founded in 2022 by Lizette Roman, a former East Middle School bilingual teacher. Rooted in the principles of Stephen Covey’s book “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People,” the event encourages students to reflect on their goals and consider future career paths. More recently, Sarah DeVita, Erin Donohue and Jessica Magaletto have carried the torch alongside the building’s leadership: Dr. Bergre Escorbores, Michael McGinn, Kenya Vanterpool and Lisette Marmol. 

After the welcome, presenters fanned out across the building – into auditoriums, classrooms, the cafeteria and gym – transforming the school into a hub of career exploration. Students rotated through sessions on an adjusted bell schedule, hearing firsthand stories of perseverance, identity and professional growth. 

This year’s speakers were organized using Naviance, the district’s college and career readiness platform. Based on students’ reported career interests in the system, presenters were grouped into fields such as health science, business management, finance, education, information technology, law, and science and engineering. 

Seventh and eighth grade students reviewed their Naviance results and voted for the presenters they were most interested in hearing. The process helped match students with speakers whose careers aligned with their emerging interests and goals. 

The lineup included Superintendent Wanda Ortiz-Rivera, Board of Education Trustee Hassan Ahmed, Brentwood alumni, entrepreneurs, educators and professionals from a range of industries who shared the realities of their fields and the steps it took to reach their careers. 

The event also reflects Brentwood’s Graduation PLUS+ initiative, which emphasizes identity development and future planning to help students build meaningful postsecondary pathways. 

“Hearing real people share their stories – including their struggles – made me realize it’s OK not to have everything figured out yet,” student Julissa Chicas Martinez said. “It inspired me to start thinking about my own interests and what I want to achieve in school and beyond.”