PIERCETON — Jon Esenwein, who just graduated from Wawasee High School June 2, already has a full-time employment offer from Paragon Medical in Pierceton. He is one of four students who were invited for a signing day event at 3:30 p.m. Wednesday, June 12, at Paragon Medical.

The students will sign their full-time offer letters at the event.

According to information provided by Paragon Medical, “The purpose of the signing day event is to publicly acknowledge area seniors who have chosen to go straight into the working world, and to help remove the stigma that can sometimes come with choosing that path instead of going to college. College is not for everyone, and going into the working world — specifically for us, manufacturing/skilled trades — is just as honorable and sometimes even makes more financial sense as Paragon and many companies offer tuition reimbursement programs so those students could continue their education while working full time as well. We wanted to simulate an athletic scholarship signing day for those students that go into college, and create a similar event for those students signing employment offer letters instead of their collegiate letters of intent.”

Esenwein has been working part-time hours at Paragon but exceeded expectations and is being offered full-time employment, as well as a promotion. His full-time employment is effective June 17.

Paragon’s signing day event is only open to the employees of the Case & Tray Division of Paragon Medical, school administration and/or faculty of the schools represented and family and friends of the students. Other students include Alex VanKirk, Warsaw Community High School; Jocelyn Courtney, Whikto High School; and Emmanuel Marschke, Basic Christian Education Academy.