The Exploring Careers in the Community for Gifted and Talented (ECC/GT) program is conducted in Jefferson County, Colorado junior high schools to provide an 18-week career exploration component for gifted/talented students. The program provides gifted/talented students 3 hours a day to participate in interviewing community members about their jobs, doing career research, completing an internship in a field of their choice, and completing a project or product. An evaluation of the program was conducted for the school year 1979-80, the third year of the program. Evaluation instruments used included a student background questionnaire, a career decision-making skills test, an ECC/GT skills documentation summary, an ECC student end-of-year questionnaire, a student assessment survey, a 20-minute interview with a random sample of 15 ECC/GT students, a staff questionnaire, a community instructor opinion survey, and a parent opinion survey. Grade point data were also collected from files to establish comparison groups. Results of this assessment showed that the ECC/GT curriculum was generally effective for junior high gifted and talented students. Staff, students, and community instructors were positive in their views of ECC/GT, and students showed significant posttest improvements in career planning and critical thinking skills. Based on the program's success, it was recommended that the program receive state validation as an exemplary program worthy of replication and dissemination. (KC)