​You never get a second chance to make a first impression.  But when living in a digital age, how do you know when you’ve made your first impression? Damaging financial decisions, Facebook posts, tweets and Instagram photos can be made before physically meeting your potential employers and colleagues, creating digital and financial stains that never go away.  
 
The DISCOVER Partnership has designed the workshop, “Preparing Your #Selfie for the Real World” to help college students prepare for the physical realities of living in a virtual world.
 
The workshop will be held at the Community Education Center, located at 4 Erie Avenue in St. Marys. The workshop is free and open to incoming college Freshmen to recent college grads living in Cameron and Elk counties. Attendees can choose one of two session dates: Monday, July 23 from 12:00-4:00 (lunch included) or Monday, July 30 from 5:00-9:00 (dinner included).
 
Workshop topics include:
·         Digital Responsibility: How your “digital footprint” can affect employment
·         What not to Wear: Tips on how to prepare for job interviews
·         Financing Your Future: Understanding your financial aid package, college loans and repayment plans.
·         Building Your Professional Network through LinkedIn:  Tips to Polish your resume, understand the art of volunteerism, and Create your own profile
·         Professional Dining Etiquette:  tips to help you mind your manners and make a good impression at your future business meals.
The registration deadline is June 30, 2018 by calling the Community Education Center 814-781-3437 or emailing cec@communityedcenter.com.

Mrs. Leigh Aaron, South St. Marys Street Elementary School Counselor, and the Community Education Center’s DISCOVER Partnership teamed up for the recent “Careers in Communities” Career Day.  Area Business and community members were stationed in the elementary school gymnasium to talk about careers within their company.  Students in grades 3-5 participated and visited with 3 companies to learn what career opportunities exist.  Students completed a career reflection during the event to assist them in making informed choices when selecting a career and setting career goals.  
Those in attendance included Christie Gardner, The Daily Press;  Kristi Wendell, Donna Hottel and Tom Buck, North Central Regional Planning Development; Matt Stoey, Student Services Specialist BC3@ Brockway; Brooke Forsythe, Northwest Bank; Lou Radkowski, Mayor City of St. Marys; Meredith Bon, Hoss’s; Aaron Simbeck, Advanced Computer Solutions; Sherri Lovett & Mark Greenthaner, Elk County Emergency 911 Dispatchers; and Marty Rosenfeld, Elk County Sheriff’s Office.
This event was funded in part by The Stackpole-Hall Foundation and coordinated by the Community Education Center's (CEC) DISCOVER Partnership, a business and education partnership that is aimed at helping students “DISCOVER” what the region has to offer by forming connections between students, local companies and communities.  If your school or company is interested in participating in a similar event, please contact Amy Goode at the CEC (814) 781-3437 or cec@communityedcenter.com.

Cameron County Rotary Club and the Community Education Center’s DISCOVER Partnership teamed up for the recent “Rotary Days Career Cruise”.  Students in 9th grade from Cameron County and Austin High Schools participated.  Students spent the morning networking and touring Embassy Powdered Metals and Cameron County Courthouse learning local career opportunities, employability skills and making connections with community members and potential employers.  Students also made a stop at Andrews Farm for a presentation from Ryan Magaro about his Bee business, which was a great lead into the afternoon program.  Students then joined together at the Fire Hall for an afternoon presentation from Abbi Peters with the PA Wilds.  Abbi’s presentation focused on Entrepreneurship and included a student activity that demonstrated the importance of shopping and spending local.  Her presentation ended with an Entrepreneurship Q&A Panel that included Ryan Magaro from Rich Valley Apiary,  Jim Wendel from Hygrade Inn, and Amanda Jones from Elk River Farms.  The afternoon concluded with a tour at the Hygrade Inn.  Lunch was provided by the Cameron County Rotary Club.
 
This event was funded in part by The Cameron County Rotary Club and Mee Foundation; and coordinated by the Community Education Center's (CEC) DISCOVER Partnership, a business and education partnership that is aimed at helping students “DISCOVER” what the region has to offer by forming connections between students, local companies and communities.  If your school or company is interested in participating in a similar event, please contact Amy Goode at the CEC (814) 781-3437 or cec@communityedcenter.com.