National award-winning career fair returns to Staunton

Opportunity is Knocking, Staunton’s national award-winning career, academic and opportunities fair, returns for a fourth year. It’s scheduled from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. at Booker T. Washington Community Center in Staunton on Saturday, Dec. 10.

Opportunity is Knocking is a brainchild of former Staunton City School products-turned-Staunton City School educators Mark Rexrode and Carla Vandevander. The siblings created the program to ensure every single student in Staunton City Schools had a clear path to success.

Ordinarily held in January, the fair has been moved to December to reflect recent changes in the Staunton City Schools schedule and the college application process.

“The semester now ends before Christmas break,” Vandevander said. “If students get inspired and need to change schedules, we want to leave for time for that. If they see a local college, they have time to apply for that. And FASFA ( Free Application for Federal Student Aid) now opens in October instead of January. We want them to have to get the FASFA filled out.”

Along with guest speakers and break-out sessions from local experts, the fair allows fair-goers to explore paths to military careers, trade schools and Valley Vo-Tech. Information on FASFA and scholarships,  community college and four-year colleges plus many other avenues  is also available.

The fair has been embraced with great enthusiasm by the community, with city officials helping organize the event, dozens of local businesses donating prizes and many local eateries chipping in tons of food to provide all fair-goers with a delicious free lunch.

In 2015, Opportunity is Knocking was awarded first place for the Laurie Horne Family Award. The award draws nominations from all over the United States.

Vandevander has accepted a position with Mary Baldwin University, and she is excited about the university joining Staunton City Schools and Blue Ridge Community College in taking a larger role in this year’s fair.

“Mary Baldwin has participated before, but now that they have done it for a year or two, they are like ‘Wow, we want to have even more involvement,’” Vandevander said.