Jackson Fox, the son of Angela and Dwayne Fox, a Troy eighth-grader, finds out what it is like to hold a police shield during the “Made in Miami County” event held at the Miami County Fairgrounds on Wednesday, Sept. 25. His teacher, Rachel Everson, also helped hold the shield. The event provided a chance for eighth-graders from around the county to learn about different career paths.
Kathleen Leese | For Miami Valley Today
Troy eighth-graders got a chance to try using a drill while they learned about manufacturing jobs at a Clopay Corporation display. The display was part of the “Made in Miami County” event held on Wednesday, Sept. 25.
Kathleen Leese | For Miami Valley Today
By Kathleen Leese
For Miami Valley Today
TROY — Eighth graders from all over Miami County had the opportunity to learn about career options as well as educational opportunities during a “Made in Miami County“ event at the Miami County Fairgrounds on Wednesday, Sept. 25.
The Troy Development Council led the event in collaboration with the Miami County Educational Service Center (MCESC) and the Troy, Piqua and Tipp Chambers of Commerce. The purpose of the event is for eighth graders to discover career paths that might be of interest to them. But first, they heard from Tony Trapp, apprenticeship coordinator at Upper Valley Career Center (UVCC). Trapp said he helps students make connections with employers.
Joseph Graves, Troy Area Chamber of Commerce president/CEO of Troy Development Council, along with Liz Sonnanstine, MCESC career connections coordinator, were also present on behalf of their organizations.
The event, which was last held in 2019, allows students to learn about things made in Miami County as well as learn about careers in the Miami County area. The eighth graders are chosen to participate in the event as they are at an age where they can begin to prepare for their future and learn about all of the opportunities that are possible in Miami County. It also allows them to think about the kind of courses they might want to take in high school.
Trapp told the students 196 UVCC seniors worked while attending school last year, and he told that altogether, the seniors made a total of $3.1 million in income by connecting to local employers.
Trapp then spoke about “diploma dilemma” and asked the students if they understood what that meant.
“What are you going to do?” he asked, telling the students that they had choices to make about college, technical school, a career center or maybe even working in manufacturing. He then had the students look at one of their peers and ask, “what are you going to do?”
“You guys are less than five years from making a decision on what you’re going to do. We want you to come back to Miami County,” Trapp said. “Take it (seriously). Seriously think.”
Over 30 businesses were invited to attend the event where students learned about manufacturing, law enforcement, firefighting, health care, education, architecture, engineering, retail and financial services as well as construction, college and career technical education.
Special displays were set up including interactive experiences where students got to hold a police shield that might be used in a SWAT standoff as well as trying on police gear, learning how to use a drill, using a fire hose, looking through a microscope and other opportunities as they moved to different locations.
Rain delayed the event, initially set for Tuesday, until Wednesday.
