I met a man. He was an influential man in our community. The man expressed interest for me to work and shadow him on daily basis during my last years in high school.

This man was my local state representative, and I was too young and wet between the ears. However, he gave me a chance, saw my potential and helped encourage me to dream big and pursue an extraordinary life.

State Rep. Chuck Hopson and his former district administrator Jeana Brooks opened my eyes to new horizons, the ability to build relationships and the knowledge of the local political process. From attending local chamber of commerce’s meetings to helping citizens as a casework liaison, I got first hand knowledge of the political process and how inspiring politics is on a local level.

For me, the experience of job shadowing and interning were positive experiences for a little boy from the Piney Woods of East Texas.

As I think on how we can impact our children’s future, I am reminded of my past shadowing experience and why we, at the Greater Waco Chamber of Commerce, developed the Career Start Waco program. Career Start Waco is a middle school job shadowing day program, and it seeks to provide a unique opportunity for students to shadow various business professionals.

Career Start Waco is a collaborative effort between the Chamber, the Adopt-a-School program for Waco ISD and Rapoport Academy. During the day, students are exposed to various businesses and companies during the Fall and Spring semesters.

By allowing students the opportunity to shadow business leaders for a day builds career awareness, enhances their employability skills and encourages them to pursue higher education or go into the workforce.

As part of the program, each school is partnered with existing businesses, and students will travel to the business sites and spend time learning about the organization, job shadowing with employers and exploring career choices. In the past, businesses such as Atmos Energy, Baylor Law School, Providence, L-3 Integrated Systems, City of Waco and the Waco Tribune Herald provided students with neat opportunities.

As a positive note, Career Start Waco has touched more than 200 students and has given them an example of what career opportunities to pursue. The program shows that both education and business can coexist and continue to strengthen its relationships of impacting our children’s future.

I would like to personally thank Alliance Bank, Atmos Energy and CORD for stepping up to the plate and providing an avenue for our students. Also, I would like to thank the many businesses who opened their doors for our students – they are an inspiration to these students.

With any program, this is only the beginning of something special for our students, and I am hopeful that the program will grow and engage more schools in the future.

One final note. I saw the power of Career Start when I decided to take photos for the event. The students questioned the business professionals, and they were intrigued with getting more information on how to be successful and be difference makers in a community.

All in all, I thought maybe these students can have an experience like me. It only starts with one man, one woman, one individual or one organization to touch a person’s life – its true one person can make a difference. Hopefully these students can meet a man, woman or an influential person who can give them the hope and confidence that they can accomplish their goals

Maybe your organization can be the one. Maybe you can be the man or the woman to turn our children around. Maybe one person can truly make a difference.