Dear Ms. Tiffany,
Thank you for contacting me regarding Career Day at the boys’ middle school. Here is my answer:
Last year’s experience was plenty for me, in that it was terrible, and I will never do it again. It was worse than Field Day at their elementary school. (Note to those who just subscribed to this blog: Please follow that link, and read the post. It’s one of my favorites, in a laugh-to-keep-from-crying kind of way.)
I spoke to four classes of sixth and seventh graders. No one cared about my current job at a university. They cared marginally more about my freelance work as a TV meteorologist and writer.
In my younger son’s class, his teacher didn’t even introduce me. She was too busy checking Facebook at the back of the room.
No one even made eye contact with me in two of the classes. It was like I was screaming into the Fortnite, hormone-filled void.
My older son’s class was the best. His teacher gave me a great intro, and his peers asked plenty of questions. Later, Dominic said he didn’t tell anyone his mom would be one of the speakers, which sounds about right.
But then, one of his friends turned to him and complimented my hindquarters.
(Hormones.)
Dominic told me he said, “DUDE, that’s my MOM!”
What can I tell you? I’m a hit with 13-14 year olds. Lucky me.
But the adoration of prepubescent males is still not enough to make me endure another Career Day.
I wish you all the best in your search for speakers.
Beth
Observe and report 
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