Published May 20, 2025 by SPHS Student Mustafa Mohammed, Portland Press Herald
Graduating high school is a scary thing for many students. What if they are not ready? What if they are not sure of what they want to do after high school?
This is a problem experienced by students all across Maine, and not everyone has the resources they need to solve this problem. Extended Learning Opportunities is a great program to help Maine students discover a career they may love.
For example, Anna Rauscher, a senior at South Portland High School, enrolled in an ELO because she thought she was most interested in dental health. During her ELO class, she was able to study dental health and job shadow with a dentist. After she learned more about the topic and saw the work for herself, she realized that it was not for her. Instead, she decided to try interior design and visited Nicola’s Home, and discovered she loved it. This saved her from spending money and time on a profession she would not like, and instead was able to pursue what she did love.
Anna is not the only example; Donovan Lawrence discovered his love for firefighting and was able to experience it firsthand through an ELO. Donovan visited a fire station and learned techniques in a kind and open-minded space. He was able to make connections in the fire station and was also given a job opportunity there. His ELO opened him up to more information and practices, getting to know the firefighters at the station, and employment.
Lastly, the article you are reading right now is written by an ELO student! My name is Mustafa Mohammed, and I am a student at South Portland High School who is doing a marketing-based ELO. My role has been to promote ELO opportunities to students, staff, and the community. I have worked on social media posts, collaborated with the school’s marketing coordinator, helped create an ELO section on the South Portland High School’s website, and met and interviewed South Portland’s communications officer.
ELO is a place where students across the state of Maine can find what they do and do not want to do for a future career. With the help of ELO, more money and time will be saved, and students can find out what they truly love.
Mustafa Mohammed is a South Portland High School senior.