Youth learn about local manufacturers and leadership skills
COSHOCTON – Fifteen students visited local manufacturers in Coshocton County and learned about team leadership skills at Manufacturing and Technology Camp during the week of June 24. Students met at Central Ohio Technical College each day at 8:30 a.m. where they enjoyed breakfast sponsored by local businesses. They then toured manufacturers throughout the county including AK Steel, McWane Industries, City Water Department, Jones Metal, and Kraft Heinz. Each place featured different topics including safety, the environment, logistics, quality control, and others.
Manufacturing and Technology Camp is an initiative started by Rep. Sherrod Brown to introduce manufacturing companies to students at a young age. The camp is for those sixth through ninth grade and provides not only visits to a variety of manufacturers, but team building training and leadership training.
“It gives them [the students] a good look at what they might want to do before they graduate,” said Lynn Jacobs, Ohio Means Jobs, Coshocton County Job and Family Services, who was also lead facilitator for the week. “Hopefully, they have a better understanding of manufacturers in town and some leadership skills and team building skills.”
Not only did the students learn through team leaders but also through seven COTC ambassadors who volunteered their time to help lead teams and provide additional leadership skills.
The Coshocton County Chamber of Commerce, COTC, Coshocton Port Authority, and Ohio Means Jobs were instrumental in making the week possible for youth in the county and all agreed that without the ambassadors, they would have been lost.
“They’ve done a phenomenal job,” said Amy Stockdale, executive director of the chamber. “They just jumped right in there and did what needed to be done.”
The ambassadors said they had a fun week with the kids.
“This week has been us leading the kids around and making sure they’re having a good time,” said Taylor Osborn, a COTC ambassador. “It was a chance to show them our team leadership skills.”
“Once we showed them those leadership skills, we can step back and see what they’ve learned and how they’ve applied what they’ve learned,” said Killian Slone, a COTC ambassador.
Both agreed that they have learned so much from the kids during the week.
“They’ve taught me patience and also creativity,” said Osborn.
“It has taught me that life is full of many different types of people and it’s interesting to see how they all come together and work together and how we all fit into that,” said Slone.
Students broke up in three teams of five and gave a presentation on what they had learned during the week on Friday, June 28. Parents and guardians were invited to enjoy a lunch by Papa Johns and watch the presentations.
The event started with a team-building skill as adults were handed cards and had to find their suit and line up in order of the cards without verbal communication.
“We worked on communication and how that’s important to any aspect of our lives,” said Jacobs.
Team Taylor’s Science Turtles were the first to present and they chose to perform a skit on everything they had learned during the week. Team Red Bears and Team Purified Water gave a PowerPoint presentation.
Camden Swigert is going into ninth grade at Coshocton High School and enjoyed going to the water department.
“I liked going to the water department just because that’s where my dad works and just to see what he does,” said Swigert. “I learned how to connect with people I don’t know because I only knew about three people here at the beginning of the week.”
Zachary McKnew will be going into seventh grade at River View Junior High and said he enjoyed visiting Kraft Heinz most.
“I liked the Kraft Heinz Warehouse,” said McKnew. “With it being summer outside, it was like stepping into a different climate. And the smell of bacon. Who doesn’t love the smell of bacon?”
Manufacturing and Technology Camp was funded by the Regional Job Training Program through OMEGA, the ACT Grant through COTC, and by private donations. Support was also received from Coshocton City Schools as they provided buses for transportation at a discount.
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