KEYNOTE – Durable Skills: Key Tools for Success in School, Work, and Life

As the 21st century progresses, learner and earners need to better develop Durable Skills such as communication, collaboration, critical thinking, and leadership to meet changing requirements from high-wage, high-demand employers. According to analysis by America Succeeds and Lightcast (formerly Emsi Burning Glass) these essential skills are 7 of the top 10 most requested skills in job postings. This session will explore national and state-specific Durable Skills research and dig into how to better embed and evaluate this type of learning in education pathways with leading examples of innovative practice from across the country.

About our presenter: A passionate education advocate, Torree Pederson has spent the past 14 years running business leader led organizations focused on workforce development. As founding President of Aligned, Torree has helped grow the dual state organization focused on statewide policy reform, cradle to career. Torree also served for over 10 years as the Executive Director of the Greater Kansas City National Tooling & Machining Association, an organization focused on the manufacturing workforce needs in the greater Kansas City region. In response to the growing workforce crisis in manufacturing, Torree founded BotsKC (www.botskc.org) in 2015. This fifteen-pound battle bot competition plays host to over 500 students and 35 schools across the region. Before joining the education advocacy arena, Torree spent 10 years in corporate finance/accounting/audit working for both Sprint and Hallmark in Kansas City.

Focusing on business leader led organizations for the past 14 years, Torree has leveraged her background in corporate finance/accounting, a deep understanding of running a business and a passion for working with business and education leaders to run Aligned.

Torree is a member of the Western Johnson County Kansas Rotary where she is an active member of her community. Torree and her husband Jason live in Shawnee, Kansas with their two children, Elle and Samuel.

MORNING WORKSHOPS

1 – What is MOCAN?

Join us to learn more about Missouri College and Career Attainment Network (MOCAN) and its plans to address college access, affordability, and persistence. We will also explore FREE resources available to high school counselors and advisers through the Professional Development Institute and dive into our scholarship platform for students, My Scholarship Central.

• Kaitlyn Venta, Director, Affordability, College Access & Career Readiness
• Cherelle Washington, Director, College Access & Career Readiness

2 – From Student to Scholar

In this workshop, we will explore the differences between being a student and how to become a scholar. We will take a deep dive into what scholar has meant traditionally and what a contemporary definition is to our young people today. The modern scholar can have a non-typical understanding and execution of what it means to be a specialized learner who is focused on curiosity and passion in a specific subject. These subjects have changed as have the current times. In this session, we unpack stereotypical views about what it means to be a ‘scholar’ in the 21st century. If possible, participants are encouraged to read this article prior to attendance.

• Jodi Miller, President for the South Dakota School Age Care Alliance and kid-grit Ambassador

3 – The State of Missouri’s Workforce: Inspiring students in the high demand STEM sector

Missouri is a top strategic business location for companies requiring access to all of North America via all modes of transportation. Missouri is a global leader in agtech, aerospace and defense, automotive manufacturing, financial services, geospatial, logistics and more. This means many in-demand jobs are waiting for a skilled and ready workforce. Participants will be given an overview of the state of the workforce in Missouri and why students need to be prepared to meet this demand. Presenters will also share how they inspire students and prepare them for careers in high-demand STEM fields.

• Brian Crouse, Vice President of Education for the Missouri Chamber of Commerce and Industry
• Diana Wilhold, Deputy Executive Director, Construction Forum
• Kibret Yebetit, Senior Community Partnerships and Outreach Manager at Girls Who Code
• Tammy Buckner, CEO and Co-Founder of WeCode KC

LUNCH & LEARN PANEL DISCUSSION

All Together for Missouri Students 

This panel includes representatives from a variety of organizations across the state discussing their contributions and efforts in helping youth reach their future career goals and preparing them for the workforce.

Panelists:

• Kellie Seals, EdD, Assistant Extension Professor and 4-H College and Career Pathways Specialist
• Alexandria Miller, Missouri Scholarship and Loan Foundation, Scholarship Program Manager
• Jerron Johnson, Executive Director Missouri College Advising Corps
• Cherelle Washington, Director, College Access and Career Readiness, MOCAN
• Chris Patrick, Executive Director, Jobs for America’s Graduates – Missouri
• Mathew Moheban, Co-founder and CEO 220 Leadership
• Ashley Heidbreder, Outreach Services Coordinator, Journey to College/DHEWD
• Kasey Bailey, Regional Director. rootEd Alliance – Pony Express Region

AFTERNOON WORKSHOPS

1 – Thriving with the Entrepreneurial Mindset

Entrepreneurship is a skill set and a way of thinking. It involves identifying needs, brainstorming creative solutions, taking calculated risks, learning from failure, and persevering despite setbacks. It’s really about having a vision and making it a reality. Five years ago, the Webster Groves School District embraced this mindset and created WG Thrive, an innovative and dynamic program that combines education, professional guidance, and personal development to help high school juniors and seniors acquire critical business and entrepreneurial skills to pursue productive, fulfilling lives. Rather than relying on traditional lecturing and textbooks, Thrive offers a unique, hands-on, experiential learning opportunity by way of a business incubator—a facility designed to provide entrepreneurs with a dynamic work environment to start and operate their businesses. Since the creation of our incubator program for our high school students, we knew that we wanted all of our students (K12) to learn how to develop their entrepreneurial mindset. Not only is this part of our district vision, but it is also officially our reality. This year we have piloted programming in our elementary and middle schools during the afterschool space., and the school board has approved our entrepreneurial program to be expanded to our K-8 schools (both during and after school) in the 23-24 school year. Spend some time with me to learn about how we have made this programming possible for all of our students. I will share tips on curriculum development/selection, scheduling, funding opportunities, and how to clear some of the roadblocks we have faced on this journey.

• Kara Siebe, Coordinator for the Webster Groves School District Thrive Entrepreneurship Program

2 – Work Based Learning: Developing and Maintaining a System that Works!

Learn how Scott Regional Technology Center utilizes work-based learning opportunities within their sending school communities to help connect classroom learning with the world of work and how to make it successful for all involved. In this session you will be given resources to help jumpstart a work-based learning program in your community as well as other online resources to help you streamline the process.

• Anessa Garner Ash, Career Services Director, Scott Regional Technology Center

3- College Match, Fit & Affordability

As a whole we should start thinking about match & fit way before senior year. This session will cover a variety of topics pertaining to financial aid and affording college! The goal is for you to walk away with tools in your toolkit to assist students with conversations/activities pertaining to financial literacy and college match & fit. You will learn about Missouri Scholarship & Loan Foundation and their programs to address college access, affordability, and persistence. In addition to, open discussion on how Missouri Association of Student Financial Aid Personnel (MASFAP) and you, the Afterschool community, can work together!

• Alexandria Miller, Missouri Scholarship and Loan Foundation, Scholarship Program Manager