Lane Robinson, a senior at Shenandoah High School in Noble County, has a clear vision for his future. Balancing academics with his passion for agriculture, Lane is not only the president of his school’s FFA chapter, he also interned as the farm manager at Green Acres.

This September BB2C’s Network Regional Coordinator, Jordan Spence had a chance to present to the Noble Local School Board about the impact of Community & Career Connected Learning during the 2023-2024 school year.

The 2024 Community & Career Connected Learning Summit is set to take place on Friday, September 20th at Washington State College of Ohio, bringing together businesses, educators, students, and community leaders in Southeastern Ohio. This dynamic event, put on by Building Bridges to Careers (BB2C) and sponsored by Syensqo and the Ohio Natural Energy Institute, is designed to bridge the gap between education and employment by aligning educational initiatives with economic development strategies.

This summer, Appalachian Children Coalition offered two Youth Behavioral Health Careers Institutes to rising 9th graders through 2024 high school graduates for the first time. BB2C was excited to be a part of engaging students in activities through the Behavioral Health Careers Institute in Washington County.

Design it! Solve it! Create it! This is what all 5th through 8th grade students at Wolf Creek Local Schools and Noble Local Schools were asked to do through the Problem-Based Learning Challenge. Students were asked to choose one of three problems presented to them and, in groups of three or more, solve it.

The Ohio Governor’s Office of Workforce Transformation provides funding for high school students who intern with employers in technology-based positions. BB2C was selected to be the intermediary for this program for 25 counties in Southeastern Ohio. The program reimburses employers for hosting high school interns in technology-focused positions.

"I'm so excited to give our students the chance to do something student-led," expressed [a] participant. "I'm learning that our students don't get many opportunities to be pushed like this, so I think they're going to be excited for the freedom and change of pace!"

Real World Problem Scenario envisions a future where students not only grasp theoretical concepts in the classroom but also apply them in real-world settings.

Welcome to our Emily Bentley, our Education Engagement Specialist, and Jenna Stewart, our Career Pathways Specialist.

“Under the Washington, D.C. sun, a sense of achievement reverberated as the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) celebrated the graduation of 39 fellows from across Appalachia's 13 states. The 2023 class emerged from a transformative nine-month journey through the Appalachian Leadership Institute, sparking hope for their communities.”

We hope you’ll join us at our 2023 Community & Career Connected Learning Summit to explore the power of collaborative relationships in bridging the gap between education & employment.

Two different 8th-grade combined math/science classes were given two different real-world problems identified by local businesses. The solutions they came up with were innovative!

Hear from businesses and organizations and students about the impact of high school internships. Story 3/4.

Finding what they like, and what they don't like, allows students to have a clearer picture of their future.

Calling students, businesses, schools, and communities! We have paid internship opportunities available for high school students.

Our third annual community and career connected learning Summit this month showcased community and career connected learning.

BB2C continues to expand our network. This summer, we connected with public officials from the state and regional level.

The BB2C Network is working to bring additional resources to Washington County and beyond, including more high school internship opportunities for BECAs, schools, and businesses.