Chamber’s Minute By The Shelby County Chamber: Celebrating success in Shelby County Schools

As The Shelby County Chamber finishes the final year of its current five-year Strategic Plan, the organization has actively worked on a number of programs with our partners in education.

These programs — developed with input from Shelby County businesses — are designed to provide Shelby County students with the information they’ll need to make positive career choices after they’ve finished their high school careers.

This business-driven approach is vital to ensuring Shelby County businesses can recruit and retain the managers and employees they need today and tomorrow. It ensures that the 10,000-plus businesses in Shelby County have a qualified workforce in the coming years.

In addition to programs such as “Keeping It Real” in ninth grade, “Connect 2 Careers” for 10th graders and “Communication Matters” for 11th graders, one of our signature programs has been the annual “Student and Educator of the Year” program, which offers the chamber and business community the opportunity to celebrate success in our schools throughout our county.

On April 27, the chamber will host its ninth annual “Student and Educator of the Year” program featuring and recognizing nominated students and educators from throughout Shelby County.  This year’s program will be at the Grande Hall in the new Old Mill Square facility in Columbiana.

The program will conclude with the announcement of eight recipients: two “Career Pathway Standout” students, two “Academic Leader Standout” students, one “Future Leader” student, along with one Elementary School Educator of the Year, one Middle School Educator of the Year and one High School Educator of the Year.

The five student recipients will receive a $1,000 cash award to continue their education and career development, and the three educator recipients will receive a $750 cash award to be used in their classrooms at their discretion.

If you’d like to join us for the annual “Student and Educator of the Year” program, or find out more about our Career Readiness programming at The Shelby County Chamber, please feel free to give us a call at 205-663-4542 or visit our website, shelbychamber.org.

– Submitted by The Shelby County Chamber.