Improving the lives of women and girls in local communities throughout the world describes Soroptimist International. To raise awareness in January the Soroptimist Club of Beeville invited Scotty Draper, program coordinator for the Joe Barnhart Scholarship Step Ahead Program at A.C. Jones High School, to serve every freshman enrolled.

“It’s vision is to help them on a career path through an online interest and aptitude assessment,” Draper said. Every freshman now takes the survey and then has a second appointment with her and one of her staff of eight volunteers to sit face to face for 30 minutes to talk about their results. Draper says, “It’s important to use their skills and interests as a guide to a career choice. They then have the power to choose a fit for their skillset and their dreams.”

Since Step Ahead is an extension of Barnhart’s Scholarship Program, each student’s info transfers with them when they become a junior and can be used to apply for college and scholarships. Volunteer service is always a question asked on scholarship applications. During the student’s assessment they talk about the importance of volunteerism and how hands-on experience enables them to keep from wasting time, money and effort doing something they may not be interested in.

Soroptimist of Beeville is a perfect partner for this program because the female members are living their dreams of being business leaders in thecommunity. The club strives to provide numerous resources to help others reach their goals. Soroptimists around the world are transforming and improving the lives of others.

Members have the power to open up their businesses to students who may be interested in shadowing a businesswoman for a day to help them possibly make a decision on a career that fits their individual needs. Anyone interested in offering this opportunity to a student should call Scotty Draper 361-362-9664 or e-mail: sdraper@beevilleisd.net.

Students realize when they walk out of the Step Ahead office, their time has been well spent because they have answers to real questions about what they want to be when they grow up.

The Soroptimist International Club of Beeville invites all businesswomen to their monthly luncheon held the first Thursday of every month at noon at the Beeville Country Club.

For a service project, the club is offering a two-hour etiquette class for girls and boys this Saturday at the First National Bank of Beeville. Cost is $25 per child. Call Brenda Treviño at First National Bank, 358-1530, for further details.