FINDLAY, Ohio — Raise the Bar Hancock County met Monday for its third annual summer educator experience at the University of Findlay's College of Business.
The program is only one of eight endorsed by Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine and is funded by a state grant.
The biannual experience welcomes teachers from Hancock County and other local counties in northwest Ohio.
Teachers apply through an application. Each class has a maximum of 30 participants permitted.
The goal is to help educate teachers on nontraditional routes following high school graduation with each class covering a different theme or topic.
"What we've really recognized is that teachers are used to only being in the classroom and haven't had that business experience," said Tricia Valasek, executive director of Raise the Bar Hancock County. "Now, they're being tasked with helping students understand careers and where they go from here."
Valasek said this year was the first year Raise the Bar has been able to host at UF, allowing the program to be expanded.
"It's been fantastic. They've (teachers) really have had their eyes and minds opened up to all the opportunities available, that there isn't a one-size fits all," Valasek said. "A lot of it is, we want to keep our talent local and we want them to stay here. There's opportunity in all areas."
Valasek explained the program has helped educators understand there are more opportunities beyond college following high school, and many students can find work locally.
"There are jobs out there if you want to graduate high school and right into the workforce, or there are jobs that you do need to go get degrees for," Valasek said. "But there is a lot of growth and advancement opportunities once you get into those careers."
During the three days, Valasek said the change in mindset is observable.
"You can almost see them thinking, 'there was this one student who I could've pushed in this direction or now I could use this in my classroom.' They're always looking to be innovative, and they have no idea that there are resources locally they could tap into," Valasek added.
Toni Hassan, a math teacher from McComb, said this is the second time she's taken the class with Raise the Bar.
Hassan said it's valuable as a teacher to be able to speak with employers from different areas and then relay that information to her students.
"So we are able to have the time to speak with the employers, sometimes at their actual sites and they are very willing to have the discussion with us about what skills they would like our students to have and what's valuable to them," Hassan said.
As a teacher, Hassan said she is doing her best to encourage students on the right path.
"If that can be beneficial to them, then that's what I'm trying to do. I'm trying to be that positive part in their path," she added.
Raise the Bar's staff and the teachers participating in the program want to give students the tools for success in their futures.
"I think that teachers and admin from schools are realizing that too and adjusting their curriculum to set these students up for success and strengthen our local workforce," said Ashley Stepec-Bibler, Raise the Bar workforce program specialist.
The information doesn't end when the class does, though. While a district or school may only have one or two representatives in the class, those individuals return to share and teach the information they learned to their classes and the district.
"We might have one individual or two from a district but those two individuals are sharing that information with their entire district or with their entire school building," Stepec-Bibler said.