IN THIS ISSUE
STAYING AHEAD OF THE GAME: STATE OF OHIO OFFERS AI TOOLKIT
2023 RAISE THE BAR REPORT
SUMMER SCHOOL: EDUCATORS LEARN MORE ABOUT TRANSPORTATION, TECHNOLOGY
HANCOCK COUNTY’S K-12 CAREER EXPOSURE AND ENGAGEMENT CONTINUUM
TELL US MORE! GETTING TO KNOW KARI COLMAN AND HITCHINGS INSURANCE
“Recognized through this collaboration was the need for trusted resources, so that Ohio’s K-12 educators can prepare students to live, work and thrive in an AI world” the toolkit introduction explains.
Rather than mandating its use, the state hopes the toolkit inspires and makes less intimidating AI’s attributes and possibilities so that it can enhance learning. Officials also hope the toolkit helps implement policies and practices in ways that are robust but flexible as technology continuously evolves.
UPCOMING CAREER EVENTS
Health Science Career Expo
SEPTEMBER 26, 2024
Thirty high school students and their teachers will learn about the health science industry through tours and in-person conversations with health professionals.
Career Connections Day
OCTOBER 4, 2024
Hosting nearly 900 8th graders from all school districts in Hancock County, this one-day event at Owens Community CollegeFindlay Campus empowers youth to explore employers aligning with their career aptitude and interest assessment results.
Education Career Expo
OCTOBER 24, 2024
Thirty high school students and teachers will explore the rewarding journey of shaping future minds and inspiring the next generation. Event to be held at Liberty-Benton Local Schools.
Advanced Manufacturing Career Expo
NOVERMBER 21, 2024
Thirty high school students and teachers will uncover the cuttingedge world of manufacturing and see how innovation shapes our future.
AI CONTINUED:
But, the toolkit webpage also offers a bold statement: “Ohio’s schools cannot, even if they wanted to, detach themselves from these developments.” Instead, they “must take advantage of the potential offered by the new technologies: the potential to make education and assessment more efficient and effective and to make teaching more nuanced and better tailored to the specific needs of individual students,” InnovateOhio emphasizes.
Resources within the toolkit include standards that U.S.-based organizations have developed along with how other countries are tailoring their approaches. Examples of resources include:
• Comprehensive instructions for creating an AI-use policy
• U.S. Department of Commerce’s National Institute of Standards and Technology introduction
• “K-12 Generative AI Readiness Checklist”
• “Bringing AI to School: Tips for School leaders”
• “Guidance for Generative AI in Education and Research”
• Questions for stakeholders to assess their readiness to address issues raised by using Gen AI technologies in schools and districts
• “Sample Student Agreement on the use of AI”
• “Addressing Generative AI on Your Syllabus”
• Resources for Parents, including a set of activities designed to prompt discussion about both the benefits and risks presented by AI
• “Project Dashboard,” projects designed to introduce high school students to the opportunities and challenges presented by AI Access
2023 RTB® Impact Report
Raise the Bar Hancock County’s® 2023 Impact Report includes far more than impressive statistics and facts. Emanating from every word, number, and image is an embrace and celebration of positive change.
When RTB was launched, its primary focus was to connect education and employers to prepare a pipeline of workers. The majority of emphasis was on K-12 programs, including the Leader in Me. Now, the organization proudly shares how it has evolved from youth workforce alignment to an embrace of the entire cradle-to-career continuum. Alongside 40-year-olds who are receiving assistance from RTB with upskilling and job hunting are children who are, thanks to integrated curricula and software, intentionally exploring what they might want to be when they grow up and learning about what it takes to attain those career goals.
This approach is holistic, more guided than ever before, and, according to the 16-page Impact Report, succeeding.
Digital versions of the Impact Report are available at https://issuu.com/ raisethebarhancock/docs/rtb_2023_ impact_report?fr=xKAE9_zU1NQ.
Individuals can request a hard copy of the report by emailing RTB’s Executive Director at tvalasek@ raisethebarhancock.org.
City and county junior high/high school students completed career interest and/or aptitude assessments
32
County employers
teachers to learn about workplace trends, cultures, expectations, and opportunities
2,055
12
Owens Community College instructors obtained eight distinct industry 4.0 credentials using funds from the Ohio Manufacturers Association
Cover image and sneak peak statistics from RTB’s 2023 Impact Report, which highlights strategies benefitting people of all ages.
Hancock
hosted K-12
Mock Interview Day
Mock Interview Day amplifies the other career exploration opportunities by teaching high school juniors essential skills for landing a job. Juniors from participating schools gain a competitive advantage and confidence-building edge prior to graduating.
To ensure students get the most out of Mock Interview Day, schools work with students beforehand to understand interview techniques and to practice. They also use careerassessment results to help students use strong words and concepts that describe how they learn and perform best and ways they can successfully apply their talents to employment.
Career Connections Day
RTB’s October Career Connections Day features a myriad of hands-on activities and meaningful interactions to cultivate students’ career interests while also offering opportunities for regional businesses and organizations to promote their careers and workplaces.
Students engage with local employers based upon their career interests and assessment results, generating a targeted approach that offers meaningful engagement.
Career Expos
With a shifting focus on different industries and sectors, these monthly expos give high school students chances to visit several local businesses. The visits give students a better idea of what jobs are like so that they can refine their career interests. These Expos also allow businesses and organizations to better showcase what they offer.
Along with activities at various locations, RTB’s Career Expos typically include lunchand-learn post-secondary presentations to help students connect the dots on careers and education.
The “Shakes”
Several elementary and intermediate school buildings across Hancock County and Findlay City coordinate multi-day events for students to demonstrate employability skills with local community representatives. These “Shakes” begin with handshakes and eye contact and progress to conversations and professionalism.
TELL US MORE! GET TO KNOW YOUR BAC REPS
Kari Colman, Hitchings Insurance
1. What distinguishes Hitchings Insurance from other companies in the insurance industry?
We do our best to take insurance to the next level. When someone asks for a quote, we get to know them and ask all the extra questions to make sure we aren’t missing anything. When someone calls in asking whether they should submit a claim, we take time to give them the information needed to make the decision. Knowledge is power!
We are proactive and intentional. Our marketing team keeps people informed on social media, through monthly newsletters, and with blogs.
We champion our people and support the community.
2. What have been some of your company’s biggest successes?
We were named 2018 FamilyOwned Small Business of the Year by the Findlay-Hancock Chamber of Commerce and recognized as Agency of the Month by Rough Notes magazine in July 2023. We have been named Best of Findlay –Insurance Agency 2020, 2021, and 2022.
3. What do you find most rewarding about the work you do and the services you offer?
The most rewarding part of my work is taking the burden off our customers by providing them with solid insurance advice without cutting corners just to get their policy. Our focus is People Before Policies – if we don’t have the best options, we are not going to force it.
Continued on Last Page
SUMMER SCHOOL: EDUCATORS LEARN MORE ABOUT TRANSPORTATION, TECHNOLOGY
Ask any given K-12 teacher what their summer plans are, and many of them will mention continuing education. These goals were made easier by two Summer Educator Experience opportunities hosted this year by Raise the Bar. Each Experience featured a myriad of professionals from regional businesses and organizations who offered interesting particulars about their industry and how it serves as a vital contributor to the local economy. Presentations and tours offered pedagogical inspiration. The “boot camp” collection of asynchronous learning and tours was designed to give educators in-depth workforce perspectives to bring back to their students through creative curricula.
Participants also had the opportunity to earn three credit hours of graduate work from UF’s College of Education by attending three consecutive days of in-person programming (in Findlay), followed by course completion that involved independent work and assignments.
For the three-day transportation and logistics Educator Experience, offered in June and co-hosted with the University of Findlay, the agenda covered topics that ranged from site selection processes to the intricacies of pipeline logistics. Educators engaged with industry leaders such as those from the Ohio Department of Transportation, Ohio Logistics, Toledo Port Authority, and UF’s All Hazards Training Center; toured facilities; and explored key aspects of transportation infrastructure.
The two-day computers and technology Educator Experience in August featured representatives from Kreate, LaRiche Chevrolet, and the City of Findlay Engineer’s office.
Surprising and Relevant
For Jack Marshall, a STEM and social studies teacher at Van Buren Middle School, this year’s themes soundly resonated.
“Because I teach two classes on ‘Automation & Robotics’ and ‘Flight & Space,’ this year’s summer series was right up my alley,” he said. The visit to the Findlay Airport was a highlight for Marshall, who appreciated learning that aviation careers extend beyond pilots and flight attendants. He was also impressed by the advanced technology used in logistics, from barcode tracking to GPS monitoring of trucks.
Theresa Foley-Reed, a Findlay parent mentor, special education support partner, intervention specialist, and home instruction teacher, found the session on OhioMeansJobs enlightening. “I didn’t know anything about that program prior to the presentation,” she said.
She was also surprised by the Findlay Airport’s operational scale, managed by just four people. “It was eye-opening to see the volume of traffic and the minimal staff involved,” she said.
Sarah Simons, a fourth-grade teacher at McComb Elementary School, was struck by how many individuals are involved in injury response at Blanchard Valley Health System and the fascinating career paths of speakers from Marathon Petroleum Corporation.
“What surprised me most is how a lot of the people we heard from didn’t know what they wanted to do as a career but found their way to their current position through different avenues,” Simons said. She said this knowledge will encourage her to introduce career discussions early with her students.
Similarly, Audree Crites, a high school intervention specialist new to Findlay City Schools, noted the value of reminding students that career paths are rarely linear and that hard work and dedication can lead to unexpected opportunities.
Crites was drawn to the Educator Experience to better guide her students on local job opportunities. She found Garner Trucking’s apprenticeship program noteworthy and was impressed by the overall willingness of employers to engage with students.
Becky Bucher, who teaches family and consumer science and business at Cory-Rawson High School, valued the comprehensive exposure to local career paths. “The diversity of roles and pathways within transportation and logistics was astounding,” she said. Like Foley-Reed, Bucher also found the presentation from OhioMeansJobs especially useful and plans to incorporate its resources into her lesson plans.
“I have actually created several lesson plans based on the (OhioMeansJobs) student section, which has numerous features such as career exploration through videos, learning games, and self-exploration,” Bucher said. “There is also a tab for job seekers that I plan to use with my students that explores practicing career skills, job search skills, interview skills, and building resumes.” Also, “several companies are open to me bringing my students to their locations for field trips or coming to school as presenters,” she noted.
Back to School
One consistent takeaway from participants was the emphasis on soft skills, such as communication and teamwork.
“Every company who presented and we visited had a huge focus on soft skills, being able to get along with, work closely with, and treat coworkers and customers with respect,” Marshall observed.
Educators used their Summer Educator Experience as a platform for networking and building valuable connections with local employers.
As these teachers return to their classrooms, they are bringing with them a wealth of knowledge and a renewed commitment to bridging the gap between education and industry,
4. Why did you decide to enter this career field?
I love helping people! Prior to my career in insurance, I was in the medical field and facing changes with my employer at the time. I was looking for new opportunities for me and my growing family, which meant work schedule and flexibility were more important than ever. I reached out to a friend working at Hitchings Insurance and after an initial “I don’t think so,” a second follow-up presented an opportunity for account management and marketing. My career has provided me with opportunity for advancement and growth, a team culture you can’t beat, and flexibility to never miss moments with my family.
5. What is something you think most people don’t know about insurance careers?
Getting your insurance license does not require a college degree! You are required
to take a class, pass a state exam, and complete continuing education. Beyond that, you learn more and more every single day within the career.
6. What advice can you give to those interested in landing a job in your field of expertise?
Observe people within the industry and ask them all the questions! There are a lot of areas within insurance to consider. The different types of insurance agencies are also worth learning about to figure out what might be best suited for you. If there are opportunities for internships, take them. Be willing to jump in wherever you are needed so you can get an idea of how your skill set matches the needs of the industry. This will also allow you to find something you enjoy doing so it doesn’t feel like work!
7. What proactive steps is Hitchings taking to adapt to changes in technology, culture, and the market?
We have embraced technology, gone all-in on culture, and continue to pivot with the current market. The year 2020 marked a big change in technology for us in sales, service, and marketing. We continue to make improvements, find solutions, and add additional platforms to propel us forward.
Culture drives our hiring decisions (and sometimes firing). At the core, each individual on our team loves to help others. We focus on “fundamentals for life” each month to be our best self in all aspects of life. Our team is supported and supportive. We work hard and we make time for fun along the way.
