The second annual Paulding County “Teacher Boot Camp” event completed here recently. This year twelve Paulding County educators participated in the program. The week culminated with required presentations by educators, to their peers. Educators were to share a lesson plan of how the information they learned touring and hearing from county businesses, will benefit their future teaching and classroom discussion with local students.
This collaboration project with Western Buckeye Educational Service Center (WBESC), Ashland University and the Paulding County Economic Development office is promoted by the State of Ohio as a program to help bridge the gap between what educators are sharing with students about workforce and college opportunities, and what graduates may experience once they get out into the business world. In providing this opportunity to the educators, it may help them better prepare students by being able to comprehend how bookwork and exercises in the classroom will pertain to the student’s real-life experiences after high school.
Tim Copsey, Paulding County Economic Development Director shared, “For the 2nd consecutive year this program has blown the ceiling off of what we believed would be gained by this event. Paulding County businesses were able to share their deep, rich history with educators. These weren’t canned statements read from a script. These were true, sincere testaments about their business, shared from the heart. It is simply amazing to watch the educators gain knowledge about local products and opportunities that provide the state, region, nation, and international markets from right here in Paulding County. It makes you proud every time you hear these historic stories, but it really hits home when you hear the educator presentations and know these twelve participants learned more about the county this week and gained the knowledge of what we have available right here every day. The businesses learn from the educators as well.”
The educators received CEU credit through Ashland University for their participation, provided attendance and other established guidelines were met. This includes a final presentation of a lesson plan that will incorporate the knowledge learned into future classroom curriculum. The hope for all is that students might be better matched in the future with local employers which is a win-win for the county.
Business leaders that presented to the group this year included: Commissioner Mark Holtsberry, OSU Extension Educator Sarah Noggle; Brad Harsha with First Financial Bank; Megan Sierra with PC Workshop; United Way Director Lora Lyons; PC Foundation Director Lisa McClure; Sheriff Jason landers; Tiffany Rockhold with Paulding/Defiance County OMJ office; Lisa Becher with the State of Ohio Small Business Development office; Eric Davis with Wessler Engineering; and Jon Tomlinson, Dean of the Van Wert Northwest State Community College campus.
Industry partners that participated this year included: all three county school systems; Paragon Tempered Glass; PC Hospital; North American Stamping Group; R&B Fabrication; Cooper Farms; Vantage Career Center; and Mercer Landmark. Mercer also allowed the quarterly county Business Advisory Council meeting to be held on site.
One of this year’s participants was Staci Miller, Agricultural Educator with Paulding Exempted Village School. She summarized the event, “The teacher bootcamp program is a phenomenal program for our county. This camp gives teachers the opportunity to connect and collaborate with each other, and business leaders, to help provide our students with the tools to be successful employees and stay within our county! It was truly eye opening to see all the amazing businesses within our small county and how we are truly making an impact around the world!”
