On Wednesday, Feb. 28 at Archie Williams, USA Gap Year Fairs (USAGYF) hosted a two-part event where community members could learn more about gap years. The event provided opportunities for students, parents, and educators to learn from former gap year participants and gap year program representatives.
USAGYF is a program affiliated with GoOverseas, an organization that aims to support students considering taking a gap year through program reviews and education. According to the GoOverseas website, the purpose of USAGYF is to partner “with U.S. high schools to educate, inspire, and empower students to look beyond the classroom and pursue opportunities for experiential learning”.
At 6 p.m. in the Little Theater, USAGYF’s “Gap Year 101 Presentation” began. The first of the two-part event gave curious individuals the opportunity to learn baseline information about gap years and to ask questions during a Q&A. USAGYF presenters discussed gap year logistics, preferences to consider, and the best strategies for those interested in taking one.
Archie Williams junior Sydney Milstead attended the presentation and found it clarifying and beneficial to the decision-making process regarding her future.
“I enjoyed [the event] a lot because my vision of a gap year was so vague before it and now [I’m] really centering on what a gap year is and [realizing] that it’s really your choice,” Sydney said.
Following the presentation, attendees headed to Archie Williams’ Main Gym where gap year program representatives hosted booths, answering questions about their various programs. Over 20 different companies presented their programs, showcasing opportunities from skiing in Idaho’s Rocky Mountains to filmmaking in France to trekking through Northern Laos.
Representative Florence Blackburn attended the event as an associate of Art History Abroad, a gap year program that allows individuals to travel Europe and immerse themselves in art culture. Blackburn hoped the event would help attendees understand the large range of benefits that gap years can provide.
“Gap years are a brilliant thing for so many reasons; to gain personal growth, independence skills to stand out amongst others, but also [because] there are so many different kinds of programs, whether it’s traveling, volunteering or studying,” Blackburn said.
Lisa Neumaier, Archie Williams’ College and Career Specialist, has heard many positive stories from individuals who have taken gap years. She was excited that the fair gave students further opportunities to consider taking a gap year, but felt the fair was under-attended.
“I’ve talked to people who have come back from doing [gap years], and I think there’s a lot of growth and maturity that can happen…You’re going to grow and learn more about yourself and other people, so I think [they’re] really beneficial… [However] I did feel like [the event] was not as well attended as I would have liked,” Neumaier said.
Neumaier was unsure why the fair was under-attended but suspected it had to do with commuting difficulties. Since the event was open to all of Marin County, she believed potential attendees living further away from Archie Williams may not have wanted to battle traffic to get to the event.
Despite the small crowd, attending students reported feeling well-informed and compelled by the new information the event provided. Archie Williams junior Luce Bakowski felt more inclined to take a gap year after attending the fair.
“I’m definitely considering doing a gap year [now], and I’ve realized how many different options for gap years there are,” Luce said.
Neumaier encourages students to reach out to her or their counselors if they have any interest in taking a gap year.
“[We offer] support through individual meetings with students…most of my conversations [with students] are about [college]… But if a student happens to say, ‘I’m not 100 percent sure I want to go to college,’ then I’ll [support that],” Neumaier said.
Students who were unable to attend the Archie Williams USAGYF fair can access its website to view future events. Registration has opened for a “Virtual Gap Year 101” talk on Wednesday, March 6 at 4 p.m. The event will include a presentation from a gap-year expert and Q-and-A.
