Google hosted this year’s annual Kirkland Chamber of Commerce Youth and Business Symposium on Nov. 13 where 40 Lake Washington School District students from Juanita, Lake Washington, ICS and Emerson High were attendees.

The student’s first stop was Google where they were greeted by Western Region Public Relations Manager Darcy Nothnagle, who led to a panel discussion with six various software engineers offering varying perspectives on their careers at Google. After discussing the company’s mission, its functions and how Google’s many products have been adapted and improved, each individual speaker then described their career pathways, as well as a description of their typical “day in the life of a software engineer.”

A question and answer session followed, and the visit concluded with a comprehensive tour of Google’s facilities.

The students and their chaperones then re-boarded their bus to The Woodmark Hotel for a luncheon with the Kirkland Chamber of Commerce. In keeping with the theme of the day, the featured speaker was Vice President of Engineering and Site Director for Google Kirkland, Chee Chew.

Chew addressed students and Chamber members alike with his advice to be passionate with whatever it is you like to do; never have the fear to try new things in your life and to always stay open to new possibilities.

The Symposium partnership with the Lake Washington School District has been hosting successful career events for students such as this field trip for over two decades.

Contributed by Mike Navalinski with Juanita High School.