Clarence Academy of Business and Finance Students Learn From Professional Mentors

Students at Clarence High School’s Academy of Business and Finance took time to connect with professional mentors from the community, building relationships and skills that can benefit them through their lives. 

“Through talking with my mentor, they opened me up to a lot of opportunities that I hadn’t thought of before,” said senior Lucia Arroyo, who has worked with mentor Laura Bernardoni of Sheridan Benefits. “It set me up with a great foundation for a career.”

Seniors in the three-year academy took time in late February presenting their professional portfolio to their mentors, showing a website with their resume along with work they had completed as part of their classes and extracurricular activities. Sophomores and juniors took time to build the connection with their mentors and receive coaching on their studies and projects.

Heather Hartmann, business teacher and the academy’s director, said the coaching sessions create opportunities for students to develop their professional communication skills and receive advice from their mentor. The academy has about 100 local business partners in fields including finance, law, healthcare, education and law enforcement who work with students and speak to classes.

“We’re very lucky to have that support from the local business community,” Hartmann said. “They are truly engaged.”

The student meetings with mentors, approximately twice per year, are seen as an opportunity for students to reflect on their development and set new goals.

“Without these people, we might not be thinking about these careers,” said Aaron Ostrov, a sophomore who was paired with mentor Sarah Stephan. “They make you answer tough questions, and without that we may wait too long to make decisions.”

Fabia Zahra, a fellow sophomore, said she took inspiration from her mentor Nancy Preskop of Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center. 

“She was talking about using our interests and funneling that into a career path,” Fabia said. “I hadn’t thought of it that way.”

For mentors, the coaching sessions give them a chance to see their mentees’ growth during their time in high school. 

“To see them grow as a person from sophomore to senior year is really cool,” said Michael Walker, a private client banker with KeyBank. “Their people skills and confidence are going to stick with them forever.”

Daniel Perry, a sales manager at Ingram Micro, praised the students’ preparation.

“I’m just impressed by how aware they are of what they need to do to advance in the world,” Perry said. “They’re so organized and future focused.”

The Clarence High School Academy of Business and Finance is a three-year experience for students which pairs skill-developing curriculum with work-based learning opportunities, preparing students for business careers and higher education. The program is affiliated with the national NAF organization.

More information about the academy can be found at https://www.clarenceschools.org/schools/clarence-high-school/academics/academy-of-business-and-finance/what-is-the-academy.