Bellefontaine Middle School’s afterschool program, BMS+, recently kicked off its Winter Career Series with a visit from Logan County Chamber of Commerce President/CEO Ben Vollrath.
The featured speaker started the 10-week series by encouraging students to begin preparing for their futures, explaining that finding the right career fit is a “process and takes exploration.”
He told the pupils, “you can make a difference now — you’re in the game, not on the sidelines.” He urged them that now is the time to “work hard, ask questions, put the time in to stand out and rise to the top.”
Vollrath also shared Logan County’s mission to help students identify with one of “The 3 E’s: Employ, Enlist, or Enroll,” upon graduation. The goal is to help students choose one of these equally “valid, respectable, and honorable options.”
Over the next 10 weeks, BMS+ and the Logan County Chamber of Commerce will work together to bring local professionals to BMS+ to share with students about their careers and career paths.
BMS was awarded the Nita M. Lowey 21st Century Community Learning Centers Grant in August 2020. Funding for the grant is allocated over a five-year cycle and is designed to offer opportunities for students beyond the school day.
Afterschool programming consists of Reading and Math Enrichment, Positive Youth Development, Family Engagement Opportunities, Drop Out Prevention, and College and Career Readiness.
Lynda Holycross, BMS principal, and the BMS+ Staff expressed appreciation for the ongoing partnership between the Logan County Chamber of Commerce and BMS+.
“This collaboration enriches BMS+ programming and services provided to our students and families. The partnership also creates awareness of community resources and provides families with an additional layer of support,” school officials said in a release.