JOHN: TONIGHT ON PBS NEWS WEEKEND -- AMID MOUNTING CRITICISM AT HOME AND ABROAD, ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER BENJAMIN NETANYAHU DEFENDS PLANS TO OCCUPY GAZA CITY AS THE FASTEST WAY TO END THE WAR.

THEN, THE CHALLENGES FACING NEW COLLEGE GRADUATES AS THEY STRUGGLE WITH THE TOUGHEST JOB MARKET IN A DECADE.

AND, A CHARTER SCHOOL IN FLORIDA THAT WEAVES CARING FOR FARM ANIMALS INTO ITS CURRICULUM, CHANGING YOUNG LIVES.

>> WE NEED TO CREATE STUDENTS WHO ARE FEELING CONFIDENT TO BE OUTSIDE AND GETTING THEIR HANDS DIRTY, BEING HANDS ON AND MIDDLE SCHOOL KIDS ARE AT AN AGE WHERE I FEEL LIKE THEY'RE NOT GIVEN A LOT OF TRUST, SO WHEN YOU GIVE THEM THAT TRUST THEY JUST SHINE.

JOHN: GOOD EVENING, I'M JOHN YANG.

IN THE FACE OF MOUNTING INTERNATIONAL CONDEMNATION, ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER BENJAMIN NETANYAHU DEFENDED HIS PLAN FOR A MILITARY OCCUPATION OF GAZA CITY.

AT A NEWS CONFERENCE, NETANYAHU LASHED OUT AT WHAT HE CALLED A "GLOBAL CAMPAIGN OF LIES" AND SAID ISRAEL HAS NO OTHER CHOICE BUT TO KEEP FIGHTING TO DEFEAT HAMAS.

PM NETANYAHU: OUR GOAL IS NOT TO OCCUPY GAZA.

OUR GOAL IS TO FREE GAZA, FREE IT FROM HAMAS TERRORISTS.

THE WAR CAN END TOMORROW IF GAZA - OR RATHER IF HAMAS - LAYS DOWN ITS ARMS AND RELEASES ALL THE REMAINING HOSTAGES.

JOHN: HE SPOKE AS THE UNITED NATIONS SECURITY COUNCIL GATHERED AT UN HEADQUARTERS FOR AN EMERGENCY MEETING ON GAZA A HUMANITARIAN OFFICIAL WARNED THAT ISRAELI OCCUPATION WOULD ONLY MAKE CONDITIONS IN GAZA WORSE.

>> I AM EXTREMELY CONCERNED OVER THE PROLONGED CONFLICT AND THE ATROCITIES AND FURTHER HUMAN TOLL THAT IS LIKELY TO UNFOLD FOLLOWING THE GOVERNMENT OF ISRAEL'S DECISION TO EXPAND MILITARY OPERATIONS IN GAZA.

THIS MARKS A GRAVE ESCALATION IN A CONFLICT THAT HAS ALREADY INFLICTED UNIMAGINABLE SUFFERING.

JOHN: WHILE MOST OF THE DIPLOMATS CRITICIZED NETANYAHU'S OCCUPATION PLANS, THE UNITED STATES DEFENDED ISRAEL, SAYING IT HAS THE RIGHT TO DECIDE WHAT'S BEST FOR ITS SECURITY.

EARLIER I SPOKE WITH ANSHEL PFEFFER, ISRAEL CORRESPONDENT FOR THE ECONOMIST.

I ASKED HIM WHY NETANYAHU WAS TAKING THIS STEP NOW.

ANSHEL: HE HASN'T REALLY FOUND A WAY TO DELIVER WHAT HE PROMISED TO THE ISRAELI PEOPLE, WHICH IS TOTAL VICTORY.

HAMAS IS STILL IN CONTROL OF PARTS OF GAZA.

HAMAS IS STILL HOLDING 50 ISRAELI HOSTAGES.

THE WAR IS ONGOING.

ISRAEL IS GETTING HEAPS AND HEAPS OF INTERNATIONAL CONDEMNATION.

MANY PEOPLE ARE DYING IN THE DESTRUCTION IN GAZA.

ALSO, ISRAELI SOLDIERS ARE BEING KILLED.

SO THERE'S SO MANY THINGS THAT ARE STILL HAPPENING.

THIS IS THE LATEST PLAN THAT HE'S TALKING ABOUT.

JOHN: HOW COMPLEX WOULD THIS BE OCCUPYING GAZA CITY?

ANSHEL: IT'S HUGELY COMPLICATED.

FIRST OF ALL THERE WILL BE AN ATTEMPT TO GET HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE.

WE'RE TALKING ABOUT AN AREA IN THE FIRST STAGE OF GAZA CITY OF AT LEAST 700,000 PEOPLE 600,000, CURRENTLY IN GAZA CITY.

IT IS A VERY DENSE URBAN AREA, YOU HAVE HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF BUILDINGS.

HAMAS ITSELF, ITS FIGHTERS ARE THERE IN TUNNELS UNDERGROUND.

WE KNOW THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF KILOMETERS OF TUNNELS.

SO GOING IN THERE WITH AN ARMY FIGHTING THIS GUERRILLA FORCE, WHICH WILL BE ON ITS HOME TURF, AMBUSHING THE ISRAELI ARMY.

IT'S A HUGELY COMPLEX OPERATION, AND THAT'S THE REASON WHY THE CHIEF OF STAFF OF THE ISRAELI ARMY HAS BEEN WARNING OVER AND OVER AGAIN THAT HE DOESN'T THINK THIS IS A GOOD IDEA.

JOHN: 20 YEARS AGO THEN PRIME MINISTER ARIEL SHARON, PULLED OUT OF GAZA.

HOW ARE THE ISRAELI PEOPLE REACTING TO THE IDEA OF GOING BACK IN?

ANSHEL: WELL, WE'RE SEEING NOW 60% TO 70%, AND SOME POLLS EVEN HIGHER THAN 70% OF THE ISRAELI PUBLIC, AND THIS IS THE BROAD ISRAELI PUBLIC.

THESE NUMBERS INCLUDE A LOT OF RIGHT-WINGERS AND A LOT PEOPLE WHO WOULD HAVE VOTED FOR THE NETANYAHU GOVERNMENT NEARLY THREE YEARS AGO, SAYING ENOUGH IS ENOUGH.

THIS WAR SHOULD END.

ISRAEL SHOULD REACH SOME KIND OF DEAL WITH HAMAS, WHICH WILL ALLOW FOR THE RELEASE OF THE HOSTAGES.

YES, ISRAEL HAS PULVERIZED HAMAS AND HAS PULVERTED GAZA, BUT IT HASN'T ACHIEVED WHAT THE GOVERNMENT HAS ALWAYS SAID THAT THE AIMS ARE, WHICH IS TO FINALLY DESTROY HAMAS AND RELEASE THE HOSTAGES.

JOHN: YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE HOSTAGES.

IS THERE CONCERN ABOUT WHAT MIGHT HAPPEN TO THE HOSTAGES IF ISRAEL GOES IN?

ANSHEL: THERE'S HUGE CONCERN, BOTH CERTAINLY AMONG THE HOSTAGES' FAMILIES, BUT ALSO AMONGST THE WIDER PUBLIC, AND THE ARMY ITSELF.

THE GENERALS OF THE IDF HAVE SAID THAT THEY HAVE WARNED THE GOVERNMENT THAT THIS NEXT MOVE THAT NETANYAHU IS PLANNING WILL PUT THE HOSTAGE WHO'S STILL THERE ALIVE, AND THERE ARE AT LEAST 20 LIVE HOSTAGES THERE, ACCORDING TO ISRAELI INTELLIGENCE.

THAT IT WILL PUT THEIR LIVES AT DANGER ONCE THE ARMY STARTS MANEUVERING IN AREAS WHERE HAMAS ARE HOLDING THEM IN VARIOUS HIDING PLACES.

JOHN: YOU ALSO MENTIONED THE INTERNATIONAL CONDEMNATION.

IS THAT LIKELY TO HAVE ANY EFFECT?

ANSHEL: I THINK IT IS HAVING AN EFFECT.

IT IS HARD TO SAY HOW MUCH OF IT IS REAL, HOW MUCH IS JUST TALK BY THESE GOVERNMENTS.

BUT THERE CERTAINLY IS A MOMENTUM TOWARDS MORE SERIOUS CONDEMNATION AND PACTS TOWARDS ACTIONS COMING FROM THE EUROPEANS.

THEY'RE NOT THE MAIN PLAYERS HERE, OBVIOUSLY.

THAT IS THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION.

BUT ALSO FROM THERE, WE'RE HEARING THAT TRUMP AND HIS ENVOY, STEVE WITTKOPF, HAVE BEEN PUTTING MORE PRESSURE ON NETANYAHU, SERVING ON THE HUMANITARIAN SIDE OF IT READ WHAT YOU HAVE IS NETANYAHU BEING PULLED IN FOUR DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS.

YOU HAVE TRUMP WHO'S MAKING SOME TYPES OF CRITICISM, BUT ALSO GIVING SOME KIND OF BACKING TO NETANYAHU.

YOU'VE GOT ISRAEL'S EUROPEAN ALLIES BECOMING MUCH MORE STRIDENT IN THEIR CONDEMNATION.

THEN IN ISRAEL YOU'VE GOT THE MAJORITY OF THE PUBLIC OPINION WHO ARE IN FAVOR OF ENDING THE WAR.

AND ON THE RIGHT, NETANYAHU'S BASE, YOU HAVE CRITICISM THAT HE'S NOT BEING DETERMINED ENOUGH.

SO HE'S CURRENTLY HAVING TO MANEUVER BETWEEN THESE FOUR DIFFERENT POLES, TWO AT HOME TO ABROAD.

AND BASICALLY WHAT WE'RE SEEING HERE IS A PLAY FOR TIME, BECAUSE EVEN THOUGH NETANYAHU SAID, WELL, THESE ARE THE ORDERS THAT WE'VE GIVEN TO THE ARMY TO GO AND CAPTURE GAZA CITY, THE ORDER HASN'T BEEN TO DO IT IMMEDIATELY.

THE ORDER HAS BEEN, PREPARE FOR THAT.

SO I THINK NETANYAHU IS NOW SAYING, THIS IS MY PLAN.

I'VE GIVEN THE ARMY THE ORDERS TO PREPARE FOR THIS, BUT HE HASN'T YET GIVEN THE GO-AHEAD.

AND HE'S MANEUVERING, AND HE'S HOPING THAT PERHAPS THERE'LL BE A BETTER DEAL COMING ALONG WITH HAMAS.

HAMAS HAS BEEN VERY OBSTINATE IN THE NEGOTIATIONS.

SO THERE IS, IT HASN'T BEEN, THEY HAVEN'T MANAGED TO REACH A DEAL.

BUT MAYBE HE HOPES THAT THESE THREATS.

WILL DO SOMETHING, OR MAYBE SOME OF THE OTHER COUNTRIES ARE INVOLVED, LIKE QATAR, OR AMERICA WILL PRESSURE HAMAS TO BRING IT TO A PLACE WHERE IF HE FEELS HE CAN MAKE A DEAL.

BUT IN THE MEANWHILE, HE DOESN'T HAVE TO MAKE THE BIG DECISION.

EVERYTHING WE'RE HEARING NOW ARE MORE TALK, MORE EMPTY SLOGANS, AND YES, I GAVE THE ORDERS, BUT YOU DIDN'T ACTUALLY GIVE THE ORDER TO GO IN.

YOU GAVE THE ORDER TO PREPARE MORE OPTIONS, MORE MILITARY OPTIONS IN THIS CASE.

JOHN: ANSHEL PFEFFER, THE ECONOMIST, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

ANSHEL: THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME, JOHN.

JOHN: IN TONIGHT'S OTHER NEWS -- EUROPEAN LEADERS ARE RALLYING BEHIND UKRAINE AHEAD OF THE TRUMP-PUTIN SUMMIT PLANNED FOR THIS WEEK IN ALASKA.

A STATEMENT FROM LEADERS OF THE E.U.

AND SIX EUROPEAN NATIONS EMPHASIZED THE NEED FOR LASTING PEACE IN UKRAINE -- AND STRESSED THAT NO PEACE AGREEMENT IS POSSIBLE IF UKRAINE ISN'T INVOLVED.

ON FOX NEWS' SUNDAY MORNING FUTURES, VICE PRESIDENT JD VANCE SAID PRESIDENT TRUMP IS SEEKING THE BEST SOLUTION FOR ALL INVOLVED.

VP VANCE: IF YOU TAKE WHERE THE CURRENT LINE OF CONTACT BETWEEN RUSSIA AND UKRAINE IS WE'RE , GOING TO TRY TO FIND SOME NEGOTIATED SETTLEMENT THAT THE UKRAINIANS AND THE RUSSIANS CAN LIVE WITH, WHERE THEY CAN LIVE IN RELATIVE PEACE, WHERE THE KILLING STOPS.

IT'S NOT GOING TOTOAKE ANYBODY SUPER HAPPY.

BOTH THE RUSSIANS AND THE UKRAINIONS PROBABLY AT THE END OF THE DAY ARE GOING TO BE UNHAPPY WITH IT.

JOHN: VANCE WENT ON TO SAY HE DOES NOT BELIEVE A MEETING BETWEEN PUTIN AND UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY WOULD BE PRODUCTIVE -- AND THAT MR. TRUMP CAN BRING THE TWO COUNTRIES TOGETHER.

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IS WARNING OF THE RISK OF WILDFIRES IN THE WEST THIS WEEK.

IT SAYS A MIXTURE OF HIGH TEMPERATURES, GUSTY WINDS AND LOW HUMIDITY MAKE CONDITIONS DANGEROUS, ESPECIALLY IN THE SOUTHWEST.

THE AGENCY SAYS ANY NEW FIRES HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO SPREAD RAPIDLY.

IN MUCH OF EUROPE -- RECORD HIGH TEMPERATURES ARE FUELING WILDFIRES.

FROM SPAIN TO FRANCE, ITALY TO GREECE -- FIREFIGHTERS ARE BATTLING BLAZES THAT IN MANY PLACES ARE FORCING PEOPLE TO EVACUATE.

EUROPEAN OFFICIALS SAY FIRES HAVE BURNED THE BIGGEST AREA OF THE CONTINENT IN NEARLY 20 YEARS.

AND, THE SEARCH IS ON FOR THE CULPRITS BEHIND THE GREAT LABUBU DOLL HEIST.

AUTHORITIES SAY FOUR PEOPLE BROKE INTO A SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA TOY STORE THIS PAST WEEK AND STOLE THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS WORTH OF POPULAR COLLECTIBLES.

AN ARTIST IN HONG KONG CREATED THE TOOTHY GRINNING MONSTERS TEN YEARS AGO -- BUT THEY'VE ONLY RECENTLY BECOME POPULAR.

THEY SELL FOR ANYWHERE FROM $40 TO $200 EACH.

THE STORE'S OWNER SAYS SOME OF THE STOLEN DOLLS HAVE BEEN RECOVERED -- BUT MANY ITEMS TAKEN BY THE LABUBU BANDITS ARE STILL AT LARGE.

STILL TO COME ON "PBS NEWS WEEKEND" -- RECENT COLLEGE GRADS ARE FACING THE MOST CHALLENGING JOB MARKET IN YEARS.

AND, A SPECIAL SCHOOL THAT'S TEACHING THE NEXT GENERATION ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF FARM ANIMALS.

JOHN: NEW COLLEGE GRADUATES ARE FACING ONE OF THE MOST CHALLENGING MARKETS FOR ENTRY-LEVEL JOBS IN A DECADE.

IN JUNE, THE MOST RECENT DATA AVAILABLE, THE UNEMPLOYMENT RATE FOR RECENT GRADS WAS NEARLY 5%.

THAT'S HIGHER THAN THE OVERALL UNEMPLOYMENT RATE.

WE ASKED RECENT GRADUATES TO TELL US ABOUT THEIR JOB SEARCHES.

>> MY HOPE AFTER GRADUATING COLLEGE WAS TO GO STRAIGHT INTO A FULL-TIME JOB IN REPORTING.

>> MY INITIAL PLANS WERE TO FIND A LOCAL JOB IN A MAGAZINE.

I JUST WANTED TO FIND JOB WHERE I COULD WRITE.

>> I HAD ASPIRATIONS OF WORKING FOR THE GSA, GENERAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATION.

I WAS GOING INTO A THIRD ROUND INTERVIEW WITH THEM AROUND NOVEMBER, DECEMBER, AND THAT IS WHEN THE FEDERAL HIRING FREEZE TOOK OVER.

>> I WOULD OFTEN BE WHAT I WOULD CONSIDER GHOSTED BY EMPLOYERS, WOULDN'T GET ANY FEEDBACK AT ALL, NOT EVEN A REJECTION, JUST NOTHING.

>> I MUST HAVE STARTED APPLYING FOR JOBS IN APRIL, AND I KNOW I'VE SENT 85 JOB APPLICATIONS SINCE.

IT'S BEEN REALLY DIFFICULT.

>> WHEN I WASN'T GETTING ANY FEEDBACK FROM MY APPLICATIONS WAS REALLY DEJECTED.

IT MADE ME FEEL LIKE I WAS UNQUALIFIED FOR ANY JOB IN JOURNALISM.

LIKE MAYBE I WASN'T GOOD ENOUGH.

>> THE EXPERIENCE HAS DEFINITELY BEEN DISCOURAGING, BUT I'D LIKE TO TAKE THE MINDSET OF I JUST GOT TO KEEP PLUGGING AWAY, KEEP SENDING IN APPLICATIONS, KEEP TRYING TO REVAMP MY RESUME.

>> I THINK I'M A LITTLE TOO STUBBORN TO SWITCH CAREER PATHS RIGHT NOW.

I WILL KEEP THAT AND KEEP APPLYING AND HOPE FOR THE BEST, I SUPPOSE.

JOHN: CHRISTINE CRUZ-VARGAR IS THE CHIEF EDUCATION OFFICER AT HANDSHAKE, WHICH IS AN ONLINE PLATFORM THAT CONNECTS YOUNG JOB SEEKERS AND EMPLOYERS.

CHRISTINE, WE JUST HEARD FROM THREE YOUNG PEOPLE.

YOU HEARD DISAPPOINTMENT.

YOU HEARD A LITTLE FRUSTRATION.

HOW TYPICAL IS THAT FROM WHAT YOU HEAR?

CHRISTINE: IT IS VERY COMMON RIGHT NOW.

THE JOB MARKET IS TOUGH, COMPETITIVE.

WE HAVE SEEN IN OUR DATA THAT JOBS ARE DOWN 15% FROM LAST YEAR BUT APPLICATIONS ARE UP 30%.

JOHN: WHAT MAKES IT SO TOUGH?

CHRISTINE: A NUMBER OF FACTORS MAKE IT DIFFICULT.

ONE IS THE OVERALL ECONOMY.

THE SECOND WOULD BE THE GOVERNMENT.

AND THE THIRD WOULD BE WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH AI DISRUPTING WHAT ENTRY-LEVEL JOBS LOOK LIKE RIGHT NOW.

JOHN: TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE AI PART OF THAT.

WE'VE HEARD SOME PEOPLE SAY THAT AI IS TAKING OVER MANY OF THE TASKS THAT ENTRY-LEVEL WORKERS WOULD NORMALLY DO.

CHRISTINE: SO EMPLOYERS ARE GOING TO HAVE NEW EXPECTATIONS AROUND HOW YOU USE AI, HOW IT'S INTEGRATED INTO YOUR ROLE, THE AMOUNT OF PRODUCTIVITY YOU HAVE AND I THINK THAT ALTOGETHER IS GOING TO MEAN THAT THE SKILLSET FOR AN ENTRY-LEVEL WORKER WILL CHANGE AND EVOLVE AND IT WILL LOOK DIFFERENT.

SO FOR SOMEONE TRYING TO GRADUATE AND FIND WORK RIGHT NOW, THEY'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF A VERY MESSY PROCESS WHERE EMPLOYERS ARE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT THEY WANT AND WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE.

JOHN: WE HAVE HEARD ONE OF THE YOUNG MEN TALKING ABOUT WANTING TO BECOME A REPORTER THINKING ABOUT SHIFTING FIELDS BUT WANTED , TO AVOID THAT.

HE SAID HE WAS STUBBORN ENOUGH THAT HE DIDN'T WANT TO DO IT.

WHAT ARE THE SORTS OF TOUGH CHOICES OR HARD DECISIONS THAT YOUNG PEOPLE ARE HAVING TO FACE NOW AS THEY LOOK FOR THEIR FIRST JOBS?

CHRISTINE: WE SEE IN OUR DATA THAT OVER 40% ARE WILLING TO ACTUALLY EXPLORE OTHER INDUSTRIES THAT PERHAPS DO HAVE MORE HIRING RIGHT NOW.

FOR EXAMPLE, HEALTHCARE IS STILL RISING IN TERMS OF NUMBER OF OPPORTUNITIES AND THERE AREN'T ENOUGH PEOPLE WHO WANT TO GO INTO HEALTHCARE.

SO SOME FOLKS THAT HAVE TECH SKILLS, FOR EXAMPLE, INSTEAD OF WORKING IN A TRADITIONAL TECH INDUSTRY ARE THINKING ABOUT, HOW MIGHT I DO HEALTH TECH?

HOW CAN I PIVOT IN THAT WAY?

SO THAT'S ONE TYPE OF DIFFICULT DECISION.

THE SECOND WOULD BE LOCATION.

WHERE DO I WANT TO LIVE?

THIS GENERATION, THIS CLASS KNOWS THAT IT'S EXTREMELY EXPENSIVE TO LIVE IN CERTAIN CITIES.

SO THE COST OF LIVING IS FACTORING INTO THEIR CHOICES ABOUT WHERE THEY CHOOSE TO APPLY, WHAT LOCATIONS THEY WANNA LIVE IN.

I THINK A THIRD PIECE IS REALLY CONSIDERING, WHAT TYPES OF SKILLS ARE THEY ABLE TO BUILD AND ARE THEY TO BUILD IT FAST , ENOUGH FOR WHAT EMPLOYERS ARE LOOKING FOR?

AND EMPLOYERS ARE STILL FIGURING THAT OUT.

SO IT COULD CHANGE FROM ONE YEAR TO ANOTHER.

JOHN: [16:31:25]YOU MENTIONED HEALTH CARE IS A PLACE WHERE THERE ARE A LOT OF OPPORTUNITIES.

ARE THERE FIELDS THAT ARE SORT OF OVERSUBSCRIBED, THERE ARE MORE PEOPLE CHASING AFTER FEWER JOBS?

CHRISTINE: I THINK WE HAVE SEEN JUST IN THE PAST YEAR OR TWO, BIG TECH HAS SLOWED DOWN HIRING.

THE CLASS OF 2025 IN PARTICULAR HAS BEEN WATCHING HEADLINES FOR THE BETTER PART OF TWO YEARS SING MAJOR LAYOFFS HAPPEN.

IT IS ALSO THE INDUSTRY UP -- ADOPTING GENAI THE FASTEST SO THEY ARE ON THE FOREFRONT OF EXPERIMENTING WITH WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE, HOW MUCH HEADCOUNT DO YOU NEED, HOW MUCH COULD BE PAIRED WITH TECHNOLOGY AND WHAT WILL THE FUTURE OF ENGINEERING TEAMS LOOK LIKE?

THAT IS AN INDUSTRY WHERE WE HAVE SEEN SLOWDOWN.

JOHN: WHAT IS YOUR ADVICE FOR MEMBERS OF THE CLASS OF 2025 STILL LOOKING FOR THEIR FIRST JOBS?

CHRISTINE: FIRST YOU HAVE TO FIND A SUPPORT NETWORK TO KEEP YOU POSITIVE THROUGH THE PROCESS.

IT IS TOUGH, IT IS COMPETITIVE, IT IS EASY TO FEEL REJECTED AND DEJECTED AS YOU GO THROUGH THIS PROCESS.

THAT COULD BE YOUR COACHES, IT COULD YOUR PEERS, DOESN'T MATTER WHO, YOU JUST NEED TO FIND SOMEONE.

I THINK THE SECOND PIECE IS THINK ABOUT HOW YOU CAN UPSKILL.

SO YOU HAVE YOUR DEGREE, FANTASTIC.

ARE THERE OTHER SKILLS THAT YOU NEED TO PAIR WITH THAT RIGHT NOW?

AND TAKE THE ADVANTAGE OF ALL THE ONLINE RESOURCES AND ALL THE FREE RESOURCES THAT ARE AVAILABLE TO YOU AND FIND WAYS TO UPSKILL YOURSELF IN THE DOWNTIME WHILE YOU ARE LOOKING FOR A JOB.

AND THEN LASTLY, REMEMBER THAT YOUR FIRST JOB IS NOT YOUR FOREVER JOB.

KEEP IN MIND THAT WHATEVER THAT FIRST JOB IS, IT WILL TEACH YOU SOME SKILLS, GIVE YOU A CHANCE TO STEP UP INTO THE NEXT THING, BUT IT DOES NOT HAVE TO BE PERFECT.

SOMETIMES JUST RELEASING SOME OF THOSE EXPECTATIONS CAN HELP YOU FIND THAT NEXT JOB A LITTLE FASTER.

JOHN: GOOD ADVICE FROM CHRISTINE CRUZ-VARGAR OF HANDSHAKE.

THANK YOU.

CHRISTINE: THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.

♪ JOHN: AND FINALLY TONIGHT, WHEN CLASSES BEGIN THIS WEEK AT A SPECIAL CHARTER SCHOOL IN FLORIDA, SOME OF THE LESSONS WILL BE TAUGHT IN BARNS AND ANIMAL PENS.

COHLEEN BRADFORD KRANTZ OF PBS IOWA EXPLAINS.

>> INSTEAD OF HEADING TO A SPORTS FIELD OR MUSIC ROOM AFTER CLASS MANY STUDENTS AT THIS PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOL IN FLORIDA SPEND THEIR AFTERNOONS CARING FOR FARM ANIMALS.

IT IS CALLED THE ACADEMY AT THE FARM TO GIVE STUDENTS A STELLAR EDUCATION AND A NEW UNDERSTANDING ABOUT HOW AGRICULTURE IMPACTS THEIR EVERYDAY LIVES.

ROBIN CARTER IS ONE OF THE TEACHERS HERE.

>> A LOT OF KIDS HAVE THE IDEA THAT AGRICULTURE IS PLAYING WITH ANIMALS ALL DAY OR FEEDING ANIMALS OR HAVING PETS OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT AND WE WANT THEM TO EXPAND THEIR HORIZONS AND ACKNOWLEDGE THAT AGRICULTURE IS GIVING US LIFE.

COLLEEN: THIS HANDS-ON EXPERIENCE IS WOVEN INTO THE SCIENCE CURRICULUM AND THE GOAL IS BY THE TIME THESE STUDENTS LEAVE HERE IN EIGHTH GRADE THEY COME INTO THE WORLD AS MORE INFORMED CONSUMERS, AND WITH LIFELONG MEMORIES OF A UNIQUE SCHOOL EXPERIENCE.

COLLEEN: WHEN I CAME HERE 10 YEARS AGO ACADEMICS AND HIGH EXPECTATIONS WERE DRAWING KIDS.

TODAY THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO ABSOLUTELY WANT TO COME TO OUR SCHOOL BECAUSE OF OUR AGRICULTURE PROGRAMS.

COLLEEN: A RECENTLY RETIRED SCHOOL DIRECTOR ENCOURAGE THE EXPANSION OF THE ACADEMY'S EGG PROGRAM.

HE WAS RAISED NEARBY ON WHAT USED TO BE A 6000 ACRE CATTLE RANCH.

>> I FELT LIKE KIDS NEED TO KNOW WHERE THEIR FOOD COMES FROM.

LESS AND LESS KIDS ARE EDUCATED WITH THAT.

I FOUND KIDS THOUGHT THEIR HAMBURGER CAME FROM MCDONALD'S.

COLLEEN: HE SAYS NOT ONLY DO THESE KIDS LEARN WHERE THE HAMBURGER CAME FROM, HE SAYS WORKING WITH THESE ANIMALS HAS A PROFOUND IMPACT ON THEIR BEHAVIOR.

>> IT IS AN INTERESTING PHENOMENA TO ME WHEN YOU CAN TAKE KIDS WHO ARE STRUGGLING OR HAVING TROUBLE AND TAKE THEM TO THE BARN FOR 15 MINUTES AND CHANGE THEIR WHOLE DAY.

YOU CAN HAND THEM A BABY GOAT AND THEIR LIFE CHANGES.

IT IS ALMOST LIKE MAGIC.

COLLEEN: DESPITE THE POPULARITY OF THESE ANIMALS, HE SAYS THE SCHOOL HAS NEVER LOST SIGHT OF ITS CORE JOB.

>> THE STATE DOES NOT TEST WHETHER THE KIDS KNOW HOW A KID HAS PIGLETS.

THEY TEST MATH, READING AND WRITING.

COLLEEN: MAKING SURE EVERY ASPECT OF THE AGRICULTURE PROGRAM IS ACADEMICALLY SOUND FALLS TO RIBBON -- ROBIN.

>> YOU HAVE TO DO THIS WITH YOUR PINKY FINGER.

I INTEGRATE THE FLORIDA SCIENCE STANDARDS INTO THE ELEMENTARY AGRICULTURE LESSONS.

THAT IS HOW I TRY TO SUPPORT ELEMENTARY SCHOOL TEACHERS.

I TALK ABOUT WHAT IT MEANS TO BE A SCIENTIST, AND TO RESEARCH SOMETHING, NOT JUST BELIEVE EVERYTHING YOU HEAR, BUT GO TO A GOOD SOURCE TO GET YOUR INFORMATION.

COLLEEN: SHE SAYS AS CRITICALLY IMPORTANT AS THOSE SKILLS ARE, WORKING IN AGRICULTURE ALSO TEACHES THINGS NO CLASSROOM CAN MATCH, LIKE HOW TO BE RESILIENT WHEN UNEXPECTED CHALLENGES ARRIVE.

>> IN EDUCATION SOMETIMES THE EXPECTATION IS EVERYTHING IS DONE PERFECT ALL THE TIME.

IN AGRICULTURE THAT IS NOT HOW LIFE GOES.

YOU COULD HAVE A PROJECT OR CROP OR ANIMAL THAT SUDDENLY PASSES AWAY OR DIES OR THERE IS A HURRICANE OR SOMETHING HAPPENS.

YOU HAVE TO ROLL WITH THE PUNCHES.

COLLEEN: SOME STUDENTS SPEND EXTRA TIME PRACTICING TO SHOW THEIR ANIMALS AT FAIRS.

THESE PUBLIC EVENTS SUPPORT COMMUNITY SUPPORT FOR THE ACADEMY AND KIDS BENEFIT FROM WORKING SIDE-BY-SIDE WITH CLASSMATES.

ROBIN'S HUSBAND TIM MANAGES THE BARNS HERE.

HE SAYS A SHARED SENSE OF RESPONSIBILITY IS SOMETHING THESE YOUNG KIDS LEARN TO EMBRACE.

>> AFTER SCHOOL IF YOU HAVE AN ANIMAL HERE IT HAS TO BE FED, TAKEN CARE OF.

ON THE WEEKEND THEY ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR FEEDING AND ANY CHANGES.

MOST OF THE KIDS WE GET WE ARE VERY LUCKY.

THEY DON'T GRUMBLE ABOUT THE WORK AT ALL.

THESE PROJECTS ARE ALSO FAMILY PROJECTS.

A 10 YEAR OLD CANNOT DRIVE THEM SELVES HERE ON SATURDAY TO FEED THE ANIMALS.

COLLEEN: CRISTIANO IS A FORMER STUDENT AND HELPS FEED THE PIGS ON-SITE AND HELPS STUDENTS WITH PROJECTS.

>> EVERYTHING IS HANDS-ON.

WHEN I FIRST STARTED I SAID I WOULD NEVER GIVE A VACCINATION TO A PIG.

IT FREAKED ME OUT, I DID NOT LIKE NEEDLES.

A COUPLE MONTHS LATER I WAS GIVING ALMOST ALL THE INJECTIONS IN THE BARN.

COLLEEN: THIS 11-YEAR-OLD CONNOR SEES THIS AS PREPARATION FOR LIFE.

>> HAVING TO BE RESPONSIBLE TO FEED THEM, BEING RESPONSIBLE WITH MY MONEY, HAVING TO PAY FOR THEIR FOOD AND EQUIPMENT STUFF.

COLLEEN: EXPERIENCES LIKE THESE ARE CONFIRMATION TO ROBIN CARTER THAT BRINGING AGRICULTURE INTO THE CLASSROOM CAN CHANGE LIVES AT AN EARLY AGE.

>> WE NEED TO CREATE STUDENTS WHO ARE FEELING CONFIDENT AT AN EARLY AGE TO BE OUTSIDE GETTING THEIR HANDS DIRTY, BEING HANDS-ON.

THEY KNOW THEY WANT TO DO WITH THE RIGHT WAY AND DO NOT WANT TO LOSE THE PRIVILEGE OF DOING FUN ACTIVITIES.

MIDDLE SCHOOL KIDS ARE AT AN AGE WHERE I FEEL THEY ARE NOT GIVEN A LOT OF TRUST.

WHEN YOU GIVE THEM THAT TRUST THEY SHINE.

COLLEEN: FOR PBS NEWS WEEKEND I'M COLLEEN BRADFORD KRANTZ IN FLORIDA.

♪ JOHN: THAT IS TBS NEWS WEEKEND FOR THIS I'M JOHN YANG.

SUNDAY.

FOR ALL OF MY COLLEAGUES, THANKS FOR JOINING US.

HAVE A GOOD WEEK.

♪ >> MAJOR FUNDING FOR THE PBS NEWS WEEKEND HAS BEEN PROVIDED BY -- THE ONGOING SUPPORT OF THESE INDIVIDUALS AND INSTITUTIONS.

THIS PROGRAM WAS MADE POSSIBLE BY THE CONTRIBUTIONS TO YOUR PBS STATION FROM VIEWERS LIKE YOU.

THANK YOU.

♪ [CAPTIONING PERFORMED BY THE NATIONAL CAPTIONING INSTITUTE, WHIC