Pocahontas 8th Graders Learn at the 31st Annual 8th Grade Business Luncheon

Pocahontas County school buses from Marlinton Middle School and Green Bank Elementary/Middle School arrived at the Mountain Lodge in the Snowshoe Mountain Resort Village around 10 am on Wednesday, May 7^th, bringing 8^th grade students to the 31^st Annual 8^th Grade Business Luncheon.  Following welcoming talks by Chelsea Faulknier of the Convention and Visitor Bureau and from Mikey Valach & Sarah Guyette from the resort, and then WVU 4H Extension Agent Luci Mosesso also engaged them in an “icebreaker” game.

The students were then divided into 3 groups and rotated through three half-hour breakout sessions. These sessions were:

1. Building Brand “You” online and Online IRL (In Real Life:) Chelsea Faulknier told the students to think of themselves as a brand which includes your interests, dreams, talents, knowledge, values, personality, and upbringing, and those create who you are and what your brand stands for. And that can help you determine your future career and your success in that career. She explained that just like brands tell people what to expect when they buy a brand name product, if you think of your self as a brand, it sets you apart from everyone else, and the keys to building a brand are Consistency, Reputation and Engagement. Faulknier challenged the students to identify what they stand for; what their vision for their future is; what their mission in life is; and what their tag line and catch phrase in life is. Makinsey Poeppel told the students that what they put on the Internet and social media remains online forever as your digital footprint, and you can use it to set your brand either positively by promoting positive ideas or negatively. She advised them to remember that future prospective employers often check a job applicant’s social media before deciding whether to hire them or not.
2. Introduction to Interviews: Tracy Valach organized 15 local adults from various businesses including banks, Snowshoe Resort, and others, as well as staff from the National Forest to conduct mock one-on-one job interviews with the students, who sat facing them at a table. The students were judged on content, eye contact, and firm handshakes, as well as how well they answered their questions. Teachers at their schools had for several weeks prior taught them how to be interviewed, and had them each prepare a resume which they presented to their interviewers at the beginning of their interviews.
3. Volunteering in Nature’s Mountain Playground: Charles Evans and Kristen Owens talked to the students about how volunteering can help shape their futures, and that volunteering is donating their time to help solve problems in their communities. As an example, Evans said trails get messed up and need to be fixed by trail maintenance volunteers to ensure visitors come here to use them. Owens told them that volunteering also increases your connection to the community, provides them with feelings of importance and empowerment, and teaches them new skills and knowledge.

After all the groups had rotated through the sessions, they returned to the main banquet room and enjoyed a great lunch, with the various adults scattered at the tables with the students. Seated at the table with this reporter were – no, I will let them introduce themselves:

“Julia Brown from Marlinton Middle School;” “Layla Clendenon from Marlinton Middle School;” “Todd Zollars, Snowshoe Mountain;” “Mikey Valach, Snowshoe Mountain;” “Danny Bennett, Green Bank Elementary/Middle School.”

Following the lunch, Marka Taylor, the owner of the Simply Sweet Café and Rustic Roots Bar and Grill in Durbin, talked to the students about the owning her own businesses, and how that is a rewarding way to give back to your community. Finally, Bob Sheets, the President of the CVB Board told them that last year they sent 16 students to visit museums in Washington DC, and he hope these 8^th graders will stay here after graduating, and take jobs in the county’s tourism industry.