Real-World Project Based Learning Through Organizational Partnerships Marissa Reynolds Business Teacher & Work-Based Learning Coordinator Marion Central School District

Topics Employability Skills/ Career Readiness Senior Seminar Group Projects Becoming future ready Student run Speed Bumps Professional Communication Budgeting Rubrics Marketing/Sales Project Department responsibilities Social Responsibility Project Management & Sales Financial Records (Accounting Class)

Features & Benefits: Students Features/Skills Benefits Collaboration (strategic group placement) Learning to work with people they might not normally work with, learning to deal with other members not contributing Leadership Possibly trying something outside of their comfort zone, understanding what makes a good (and poor) leader, understanding how to delegate tasks Reflection & Evaluation Practice doing a self-evaluations to ensure workplace readiness, mastering reflection skills Authentic Projects Students feel that this project is important because it is for something “real” Student Ownership Mostly student led class, the teacher is a facilitator, students learn to take control, manage their time and create new and innovative ideas Project Management Able to see a project through in it’s entirety Formal “Pitch” Presentation Dress professionally and deliver a 5 minute “pitch” to the organization (invite admin etc.) Professionalism Professional communication, etiquette etc.

Benefits to the Organization Free exposure! Free research! Useful ideas and insight (from a younger generation) Potential future customers Career insight for students

Partnerships & Projects Clark Patterson Lee (Architectural & Design Firm)- had students create new and updated recruiting materials for them to bring to career fairs 

Clark Patterson Lee All students were able to relate to the task Practiced creativity Professional correspondences with the firm (professional e-mails) Budgeting skills

Partnerships & Projects Microsoft- had our students research and create different ways to market a new product (Microsoft 365) to students, teachers and administrators MS Task

Microsoft Challenging task for most students Students were outside of their comfort zone Had to do a lot of outside research Interviewed people from all three target markets (students, teachers and administrators) Exercised professional telephone and e-mail communication Time management skills Didn’t interest all students

Partnerships & Projects Mama Lor's Café- had students research and present their findings of entering the food truck business Had students create recipes to be sold on the potential food truck **Mama Lor’s ended up featuring many of their recipes as specials!

Mama Lor’s Cafe Food applies to everyone! Great project for all interests and abilities Mechanical, culinary, marketing, design, finance, logistics students etc. Contacted outside organizations to conduct research (phone & e-mail) Budgeting Created and executed menu ideas (taste test competition) Were able to see some of their recipes on Mama Lor’s social media pages (some visited the restaurant to try their creations in person!)

Partnerships & Projects Fleet Feet Sports- “Get Marion Moving!”- students were free to create different ways to get Marion (entire community or just the school district) moving. Some students created events, races, social media campaigns etc.

Testimonials “This was truly a great experience for me to be a part of.  It was valuable insight as to how this generation thinks about our business and business in general.  I learned valuable information as to how students and our future community members interact with social media, print ads, and other mediums.” –Barb Boutillier, Fleet Feet Sports

Testimonials

“I really enjoyed doing this and I’m glad the principal was happy as well…cool on the forum announcement! As a pilot project it was a big hit!” -Bill Slowig- Clark Patterson Lee