Overview:

Day to day, teachers are by necessity caught up in collecting homework, creating lessons, grading tests and contacting parents all with the intention (goal) of building students into productive citizens. As teachers, we not only teach content but a myriad of other life skills including time management, perseverance, patience, communication and goal setting. We teach by example and hope that we are planting seeds that will help students make life choices. Middle and high school students are already making decisions, which may affect the rest of their lives. Some of these choices may close doors on future career opportunities.

All over the country and especially in the State of Maryland with the myriad of military installations, defense contractors, intelligence agencies and our proximity to the nation's capital, many jobs require applicants to obtain security clearances. Employers such as the National Security Agency require staff from their administrators to their maintenance crew to the contractors they recruit from other companies to pass a security test. Additionally other careers now require background checks including those in the medical field and, of course, teaching.

In whatever way you can, whether through formal lessons or in teachable moments, you can reiterate to students the importance and long-lasting effect of their decisions. Continue inside this folder to learn about guest speakers you can invite to your classroom to talk about security clearances and to access other related class materials.