The Building Bridges Bulletin

Students in Mrs. Nunez's English Language Arts classes at Fayetteville High School recently took on a unique challenge in partnership with Mrs. Abbey Hurt of Adams-Brown Ohio Means Jobs (OMJ). Working through a real-world problem, students were tasked with answering: "How can Ohio Means Jobs improve its presence in the community to attract students and young adults, ages 14-24, to use their resources and secure jobs?"

After analyzing OMJ’s existing resources and social media presence, student groups presented innovative solutions aimed at boosting OMJ’s visibility and appeal to young people. Their creative ideas focused on social media engagement, community outreach, and promotional strategies to make OMJ’s offerings accessible, appealing, and impactful.

Group Presentations and Key Proposals

Group 1 – Jaylee Wessel, Anthony Haley, and Savannah Pritchard- This team evaluated the current OMJ website and proposed promotional improvements. They suggested highlighting success stories of local young adults who found jobs through OMJ, showcasing these achievements to inspire others. Featuring relatable, community-based success stories would personalize OMJ’s services and make them relevant to young job seekers.

Group 2 – Sadie Moore and JT Sider-Taking a “What can OMJ do for me?” approach, this team recommended that OMJ representatives attend community events to speak directly to students and young adults about OMJ resources. They also proposed sharing brief video clips of individual success stories on social media platforms to demonstrate OMJ’s impact.

Group 3 – Mason Crone and Lanie Short- Mason and Lanie analyzed OMJ’s Facebook page, finding it lacking in appeal to students ages 14-18. They noted low engagement with only 57 followers and suggested a more concise, visually engaging format for posts. Additionally, they proposed that OMJ consider offering an internship where local students could help revamp the organization’s social media, website, and marketing efforts.

Group 4 – Zoey Polston, Samantha Gregory, and Evan Crosley- This team recommended making OMJ’s Facebook page more entertaining and relatable by using platforms like TikTok to create challenges and engage young viewers. They also suggested OMJ attend local festivals to promote their services, and offer incentives for using OMJ resources.

Ohio Lt. Governor Jon Husted, who serves as Director of the Governor’s Office of Workforce Transformation, today announced that 16 training providers located across Ohio will receive a total of $7.1 million to provide training for technology-focused credentials at no cost through the Individual Microcredential Assistance Program (IMAP).

"Career credentials show that someone has the skills and know-how to get the job done right, giving businesses confidence in hiring them," said Lt. Governor Husted. "For the person earning them, credentials open doors to better opportunities, providing for higher pay and more job security."

The selected training providers, which include four-year universities, two-year colleges, career centers, and private providers, will be reimbursed up to $3,000 each time an Ohioan completes a training and earns a technology-focused credential through one of the approved programs. Up to 3,551 credentials can be earned through this round of funding.

IMAP was created to allow Ohioans to participate in a training program and receive a tech-focused credential at no cost. The IMAP webpage was recently updated with a new and improved search function for credentials and training providers available, making it more streamlined for Ohioans to find the program that works best for them. Training through IMAP is offered both in-person and online, helping to limit transportation barriers for participants.

"The DeWine-Husted Administration is committed to having a dynamic workforce," said Lydia Mihalik, director of the Ohio Department of Development. "The funding through the Individual Microcredential Assistance Program helps build a talent pipeline, enabling companies to recruit locally and hire in-demand workers more efficiently while also equipping the next generation of Ohioans."

"This additional funding will bolster Ohio’s workforce and allow our campuses to continue to provide training and education in high-demand, technology-focused fields," said Ohio Department of Higher Education Chancellor Mike Duffey.

Ohioans interested in earning a credential or learning more about the program can visit Workforce.Ohio.gov/IMAP.

As part of a service-learning project, four members of the Brown County L.E.A.D.S. Class of 2024 have developed an innovative plan to raise community awareness and support first responders in locating grain bins more efficiently. (This project has been approved by EMA Director, Tom Peterson.) Their project involves creating a Grain Bin Location Map with Individual Grain Bin Identification (ID) labels to enhance emergency response times.

We are reaching out to see if you and your students would be interested in helping us bring this plan to life. This initiative not only supports our first responders but also provides a meaningful opportunity for students to engage in a real-world project that benefits the community.

You can view the presentation outlining the project details here: [https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1_l_hE0Ns7MoJcKtL6qfEzAZ-5jFkMfVf/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=112904534662291012575&rtpof=true&sd=true)

If you are interested in participating, we’d love for you to join us for a virtual planning meeting to discuss the next steps and finalize project details. Please contact one of the Brown L.E.A.D.S. members listed below if you would like to participate, and we will share the planning meeting details.

We’re excited about the potential impact of this project and hope you can join us in making it a success!

Best regards,

Corinne Edinger, Charlene Fithen, John Brown, Kaylynn Bell & Kim Adams

We’re thrilled to announce the inaugural Little State STEAM Event, officially scheduled for May 8th at the Brown County Fairgrounds. This exciting day will serve students in grades 6–9 across Brown, Adams, Highland, and Clermont counties. Our shared goal is to inspire students by exposing them to career opportunities they may not even know exist. With your support, the event will offer:

Thank you for being part of this journey. Let’s make a difference—together!

With gratitude,
The STEAMology Team

Free, statewide history museum admission for fourth grade students from America 250-Ohio

America 250-Ohio, the official state commission responsible for spearheading Ohio's celebrations around America’s semiquincentennial in 2026, is proud to unveil the Fourth Grade History Pass.

Every fourth grade student in Ohio will have the opportunity to visit participating history-related museums and sites free of charge when accompanied by a paying adult through Aug. 31, 2025. The program aims to cultivate curiosity in young minds in anticipation of the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.

Fourth grade students can use the pass at more than 50 institutions throughout Ohio, including the Ohio History Center, Cincinnati Museum Center, Western Reserve Historical Society/Cleveland History Center, Campus Martius Museum, and Fort Meigs Historic Site.

To obtain a pass and learn more, visit the America 250-Ohio Fourth Grade History Pass webpage.

Wonderful opportunity to learn about the many businesses, resources and organizations that are available in Brown County. Click here to learn more.

USI is offering a condensed pathway for Ohio Teachers to equip you with a comprehensive understanding and industry certification in drone technology so that you can seamlessly

integrate drones into your current curriculum, or establish a new program at your school, centered around Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS). The coursework is virtually supported by USI instructors and can be taken from the comfort of your home at your convenience. It is self-paced, but must be completed by May 31, 2025. In-person flight training will take place over three days at The Ohio State

University in June 2025.

In 2008, Mike Rowe created the mikeroweWORKS Foundation to launch a national PR campaign for skilled labor. When Mike started the foundation, he wanted to find a way to articulate the qualities he values most. He ended up writing the S.W.E.A.T. Pledge, which stands for “Skill and Work Ethic Aren’t Taboo.” The S.W.E.A.T. Pledge consists of 12 statements that outline the importance of four pillars—work ethic, personal responsibility, delayed gratification, and a positive attitude.

TECHNICAL SKILLS HELP YOU GET THE JOB, WORK ETHIC HELPS YOU KEEP THE JOB.

The MRW Work Ethic Certification focuses on the 12 statements of the S.W.E.A.T. Pledge. Each statement has a story, and each story comes from Mike’s personal experience working with entrepreneurs and hardworking people across the country. Through this program, we break down the origin of each statement in 12 lessons and explore why we believe every student and worker can benefit from embracing this pledge, regardless of their job or skill set.

Contact Christy Clary to learn more about how this certification aligns with the OhioMeansJobs Readiness Seal Requirements. College of Food, Agricultural and Environmental Sciences OSU Extension in Brown County 325 W. State Street, Bldg. B, Georgetown, OH 45121 937-378-6716 Office / 937-378-6646 Fax Direct Line: 937-892-3021 clary.42@osu.edu brown.osu.edu

The Brown County Educational Service Center has received additional grant funding (Ohio College Tech Prep, Workforce Development Region 7 & The Ohio Farm Bureau Federation Foundation) to create a STEAMology Resource Library- click here - (please note it will be more organized by the end of summer). Great resources for teachers to check out for classroom use this coming school year!

The proverb "Many hands make light work" emphasizes the significance of teamwork in achieving tasks and goals. In the context of the school setting and/or workplace, teamwork plays a vital role in enhancing productivity, efficiency, and overall success. Check out the newly created collaborative Career, Workforce and Life Skills Resource. This document will continue to be updated as new lessons, activities and other resources are shared by various educators, organizations and businesses. To have your information added to the document please email Kim Adams at kim.adams@brownesc.net

All Ohio school districts and Educational Service Centers need to have a Business Advisory Council. Ohio is proud to be home to over 110 Business Advisory Councils. These locally focused partnerships convene education and business leaders to engage in dialogue, build trust and identify strategies that transform the student learning experience. The on-going, intentional collaboration can result in a more responsive education system based on regional economic drivers and needs, more relevant learning experiences for students that include work-based learning opportunities and enduring partnerships between schools and local industries.

Join us as we put the talk into action with the development of workforce/career real world learning experiences.

Meeting dates:

December 3, 2024 (10:00-12:00) BCESC

February 4, 2025 (10:00-12:00) BCESC

April 1, 2025 (10:00-12:00) BCESC

"Thanksgiving reminds us that growth comes from collaboration—just as we once shared harvests, today we share knowledge and skills to cultivate brighter futures in education and the workforce."

Submit information to be shared in the monthly BBB to Kim Adams kim.adams@brownesc.net

"Coming together is a beginning. Keeping together is progress. Working together is success." — Henry Ford