MARTINS FERRY — Martins Ferry High School alumni returned to their roots Friday morning to tell students about different career paths that are available.

The school had its annual career day, where students got to listen to people who work in various fields such as cosmetology, coal mining and policing talk about how they got where they are.

Superintendent Jim Fogle said the students took it very seriously and were engaged with each visitor.

“We try to make it a relaxed day where we put the books and normal coursework to the side for a little bit,” he said, “because this is also an educational experience that they don’t have the opportunity to get every day.”

Martins Ferry High School has been holding a career day for around 15 years now, and Fogle said students always react positively. He said this gives students an opportunity for something to spark their interest if they’re curious about a certain field. In turn, that might motivate them to research that field and be able to figure out if it’s something they want to pursue as a job.

Students asked questions, including, “How many years did you have to go to college?” “Are you still in debt?” “Would you consider an online degree if it were available to you?”

John McFarland, land agent from American Consolidated Natural Resources, was there to speak for the first time about his land agent job after spending years at the police department and talking to the students in years past about his 29 years as police chief.

McFarland explained his new career to the students and spoke about how he graduated from the high school in 1992, his education and the experiences he went through.

He discussed how networking and making connections can help someone later in life, which is how someone’s career can develop.

He said it felt different coming back as a land agent rather than a police chief, and students still asked questions about his previous career. But he was excited to explain to them what he does now and the lessons he’s learned.

“I just hope they listen,” McFarland said. “There’s a lot of great people here and all different positions in life that can provide them with a good living and explain to them decisions they make now could, in good ways and in bad ways, have a big effect on their life and how it turns out.”

Cosmetologist Angie Mamone was there to talk about her career after graduating in 2006. She wanted to let the students know they can take anything they’re passionate about and make it into a career, regardless of where they live.

Mamone enjoyed being back at the school to talk to students.

“It feels good because it’s crazy how much can change in 15, 20 years,” she said. “And really, just wanting to encourage people to follow their dreams.”

Scott Roth, chief operating officer at Belmont Mills who graduated in 2000, talked to students about his career as well. Roth said he talked more about different career paths, choices for college and seeing the end goal rather than what he does at Belmont Mills because when he was 18, he didn’t know what he wanted to do for his career.

Roth said at 18 years old, it’s difficult to know what someone wants to do for the rest of their life, and he didn’t think about it much when he was in the students’ seats, so he wanted to instill in them to try to put a plan together and see which route to take.

“Main thing (I’m hoping they take) I would say is the work ethic aside from what I’m talking about,” he said. “A lot of what I did and the reason I was successful was because of my work ethic and wanting to be the best at whatever I did, so hopefully that transfers over to them.”

Jon Nagel, director of environmental compliance at ACNR, graduated in 2005 and spoke to students about opportunities that are presented in the Ohio Valley in the coal industry, whether that be a coal miner, boat pilot, attorney or engineer.

Nagel said it’s rewarding to speak to students about what he does. He is also a board of education member. He hopes students know there are plenty of promising opportunities right here at home.

Some other professions that were represented included aerospace engineer, U.S. Secret Service agent and nursing.

Fogle wants the students to become curious about a career and to look deeper into it after a career day.

“I hope that it triggers that curiosity that maybe they didn’t know about a certain career,” he said. “And maybe they’ll go research that career and see what it entails as far as how to get that degree to be able to obtain that job.”