JHop recently celebrated the Great American Teach-In with a diverse slate of

guest speakers sharing their advice and insight on their jobs.

Great American Teach-In is a day when professionals volunteer to visit classrooms to talk about their jobs and experiences. This year, nearly 60 people – including actors, bankers, doctors, and firefighters – talked to JHop scholars throughout the day.

Chorus students got a special treat earlier this week when St. Petersburg High School chorus led a workshop, while Girls Rock Camp stopped through Ms. Fisher’s gifted class.

The journalism department hosted speakers representing different pathways in journalism and journalism-related careers.

Rob Biebelhauser

Advertising might not seem like an exciting career, but journalism students learned that it has a unique place in media production. Rob Biebelhauser works as a creative director at Rescue, a company that primarily focuses on public health.

Biebelhauser said that he works on anti-vaping campaigns, but in recent years he has also worked on campaigns focused on sexual health, mental health, fentanyl awareness and vaccines.

He noted that marketing isn’t always about the truth; it’s about selling. Still, he emphasized the positive aspects of the field, including the freedom and creativity it allows.

“It’s a fun job if you want to do it,” he said.

Jonathan Petramala

Storm chaser and YouTuber Jonathan Petramala has chased countless storms, fires, tornadoes, blizzards and other natural disasters. He previously worked for news organizations including 10News WTSP in St. Petersburg and AccuWeather before going solo as a journalist and storm chaser.

Despite setbacks in his career, Petramala told students he never gives up.

“Even when others say you cannot do something like journalism on your own, it’s about believing in yourself,” he said.

Petramala said he became a storm chaser because of the stories and emotions that come with natural disasters. He added that the people affected inspire him to continue his work.

Petramala was recently in Hurricane Melissa, one of the strongest hurricanes ever recorded, which made landfall in Jamaica on Oct. 28. He was covering the storm and its effects on Jamaica just days before returning to Florida to speak to JHop students. His videos from before and after the storm have generated millions of views on his YouTube channel.

“The strongest would have to be Hurricane Melissa. The winds were some of the strongest I have ever seen and could very possibly be the most dangerous I have ever been in,” Petramala said.

To capture the human element in his videos, Petramala talks to anyone experiencing the effects of hurricanes and other storms.

“I will just get out, wave my hands and talk to anyone who will tell me about their experience,” he said.

JHop 6th grader Ammi King said Petramala’s visit was entertaining and informative.

“It was fun. I learned that categories do not matter how bad a hurricane is. It is about the storm surge,” King said.

Craig Whisenhunt

Craig Whisenhunt is a constitutional lawyer who received his law degree from Stetson University College of Law. He also holds degrees from Georgetown University and Temple University.

Mr. Whisenhunt said that he likes his job and that it is fast paced, but not boring.

He added that his inspiration to become a lawyer was civil rights leader and former U.S Representative John Lewis.

Like Lewis, Whisenhunt said that he is a fan of causing “good trouble” and said he strongly believes in standing up for the right thing even if it gets him in trouble.

“It’s never the wrong thing to do the right thing” Whisenhunt said.

He also said his work is very challenging, and there are downsides to standing for the right thing. He said that his line of his work has brought threats to him and his family.

“You must be willing to put yourself in the middle of a fight. You have to be okay with the one who usually gets hit. So be cautious and careful, but don’t let that stop you from doing what you know is right,” Whisenhunt said.

Whisenhunt said protecting constitutional rights is the most important part of his job. He said that even if he’s not representing you in a case, he is protecting your rights every time he steps foot inside a courtroom.

Piper Ditrani, 6th grader, said that she was inspired by Whisenhunt’s presentation.

“If you know what’s right, stand up for it, no matter what and believe you can do it,” Ditrani said.