On Tuesday, May 8, the Beaty Industry Club accomplished something no other Industry Club from Warren County has done - they took first place at the Industry Club Expo held at Cross Creek Resort.
The annual event showcases Industry Clubs from Northwest Pennsylvania. The Beaty group competed against 19 other Industry Clubs from Clarion, Crawford, Erie, Forest, Warren, and Venango counties. Each club presented information about the careers they investigated during a 10 week after school program during the school year.
"I am so proud of what the students accomplished," noted Kari Sullivan, club advisor. "To sum up all 10 weeks of work in a 10-minute presentation took a lot of thought and preparation."
The club used a television news program format to present different careers. TV Anchors, Cheylee Smith and Bryan Johnson introduced the various students who were dressed for the careers they presented. The students featured companies they visited, or those that presented information at club meetings. They included information about Warren General Hospital, Whirley Drinkworks, City of Warren Police and Fire Departments, Betts Industries and Superior Tire and Rubber. By showing representative products from Whirley and Superior the presenters added interest to the narrative. They also described educational requirements for the careers they portrayed.
Beth Pellegrino, Human Resources Project Coordinator for Whirley DrinkWorks served as a business advisor for the group, helped them hone their presentation, and provided product samples and props used in the "broadcast." All the club members participated in the presentation demonstrating that they all were engaged in career exploration, which is the purpose of Industry Club.
Other club members who presented include, Mason Mohney, Robin Thomas, Jeff Zariczny, and Courtney Clever, reporters, Ian Ochocki and Riley Zaffino, Betts factory workers, Cheyenne Collins and Blake Snodgrass, health care workers, Nelson Ball, police officer, Matt Bondarek, fire fighter, Brionna Childs, Haley Tuller, and Ryan McGuinness Whirley employees, and Katelyn Ransom, and Dakota Hetrick, representing Superior.
Connie Fisher of Venango Training and Development Center, which provides funding for Industry Clubs as part of Northwest Pennsylvania Workforce Investment Area Youth Services, presented the first place trophy and medals to Sullivan and the club members on Wednesday, May 9.
The Industry Club Expo, hosted by the Regional Center for Workforce Excellence, offers students the opportunity to gather and give a presentation on one of the favorite industries they have studied. The presentations are judged by a panel of education and business professionals.
This year's panel included Northwest PA Workforce Investment Board member Doug Armstrong, Executive Director of the Mechanical Contractors Association of Northwest PA; Rick Cornwell, Career Development Coordinator of UPMC Hamot; and Tamara Adams, Executive Director of the Northwest PA Chapter of the National Tooling & Machining Association.
During presentations by ten teams, the other half of the students had the opportunity to visit industry-related and educational exhibits. Exhibitors include, First Robotics CIA Team 291, Science in Motion from Gannon University, Gannon University College of Engineering and Business, Grove City College, IU6 Oil City Civic Center and Oil City Shade Tree Commission, Penn State Behrend School of Engineering, Venango Technology Center, HERO Healthcare Resources, Inc., and the Regional Center for Workforce Excellence.
At their closing pizza party dinner, the Beaty Industry Club members will celebrate their victory with their families and enjoy a special cake provided by Thorne's Bi-Lo Market.
For more photos or information about Industry Club or other programs of the Warren Forest Higher Education Council School to Work Partnership, visit the Web site www.hi-ed.org.