“ADULTING 101” REALITY FAIR WINS AWARD FOR BRATTLEBORO DEVELOPMENT CREDIT CORP.
The International Economic Development Council’s annual Excellence Awards honor the economic development organizations, government entities, initiatives, and programs that have demonstrated consistent, exemplary performance in the profession.
BRATTLEBORO, VT – Brattleboro Development Credit Corporation (BDCC) has received a 2024 Excellence in Economic Development Silver Award from the International Economic Development Council (IEDC). The award, bestowed in the Special Event category for regions with similar populations, was specifically for the BDCC’s interactive Reality Fair for high school students, a.k.a. “Adulting 101”. The organization and its special event will be acknowledged and honored at the IEDC 2024 Annual Conference in Denver, CO, September 15-18.
“BDCC is setting the standard of excellence for economic development with its Reality Fair project. This award highlights BDCC’s commitment to its community and demonstrates the transformative impact of economic development,” said Nathan Ohle, IEDC President and CEO, “It is with great pride that IEDC presents this award to BDCC, celebrating their leadership and innovation in the field of economic development.”
“We are absolutely thrilled to announce this year’s award winners. These exceptional projects showcase remarkable dedication and ingenuity within the field,” said Kevin Kramer, Chair of IEDC’s Excellence in Economic Development Awards Advisory Committee. “BDCCs contributions to the communities it serves will leave a lasting impact and demonstrate its commitment to creating positive change for residents in southeastern Vermont.”
Every year IEDC looks specifically for economic development organizations, government entities, initiatives, and programs that have demonstrated consistent, exemplary performance in the economic development profession, leading the execution of projects that have a significant impact on revitalizing communities while playing a major role in shaping and improving the practice of economic development.
“We’re both thrilled and honored,” says Jennifer Stromsten, BDCC’s Director of Programs. “The Reality Fair is a thoroughly interactive, hands-on experience that teaches Windham County high school students about financial literacy and practical life skills.”
Windham County is a rural community with an aging workforce, a dwindling supply of workers, and a tendency to export its greatest asset – its youth. Sponsored by BDCC’s Pipelines and Pathways Program (P3), the Reality Fair is part of an effort to ensure kids understand how to navigate adult life, but also to ensure they know about the opportunities that exist here in the region. The 2023 Reality Fair included more than 80 volunteers and served nearly 300 students.
Adds Stromsten, “This program demonstrates to the students that if they want to live and work here as adults — and 70% do – they don’t have to look any further than their own backyards to find role models and mentors who can help them thrive right here in Windham County.”
The 2024 Reality Fair is scheduled for October 3rd. More information is available on the BDCC website at https://brattleborodevelopment.com/
About Brattleboro Development Credit Corporation
The Brattleboro Development Credit Corporation (BDCC) is a private, nonprofit economic development organization with the mission of investing in the drivers of the regional economy so that people, businesses, and communities in Southern Vermont can thrive. BDCC serves as the State of Vermont’s certified Regional Development Corporation (RDC) for the greater Windham County area (including Windham County and the towns of Readsboro, Searsburg, Winhall and Weston). BDCC is one of 12 RDCs throughout Vermont. BDCC activity is made possible in part by a grant from the State of Vermont through the Agency of Commerce and Community Development. For more information visit: https://brattleborodevelopment.com/
About the International Economic Development Council
The International Economic Development Council (IEDC) is a non-profit, non-partisan membership organization serving economic developers. With more than 4,300 members, IEDC is the largest organization of its kind. Economic developers promote economic well-being and quality of life for their communities by creating, retaining, and expanding jobs that facilitate growth, enhance wealth, and provide a stable tax base. From public to private, rural to urban, and local to international, IEDC’s members engage in the full range of economic development practices. Given the breadth of economic development work, our members are employed in various settings, including local, state, provincial, and federal governments, public-private partnerships, chambers of commerce, universities, and a variety of other institutions. When IEDC succeeds, its members create high-quality jobs, develop vibrant communities, and improve the quality of life in their regions. Learn more at www.iedconline.org today!
About BDCC’s Pipelines & Pathways Program (P3)
P3 was designed to leverage Act 77 with a holistic approach to career education that spans high school, taking kids from early dreams and goal setting, through exploration and skill-building. P3 was inspired by a need to bridge the gap between young people and the opportunities available to them, including here in southern Vermont. While employers are desperate to fill well-paid positions, outcomes for many young adults are disappointing. According to a study by the Vermont Student Assistance Corporation (VSAC), five years after graduation, only 30.4% of Windham youth have a college degree (Associates or Bachelors). Emerging from COVID, the youth labor force participation rate hovers around 40%. Yes, there are highflyers and success stories, but given the educational and employment opportunities available, every young person should be on track to learn, work, earn, and thrive here.
BDCC’s Pipelines and Pathways Program (P3) provides career education within the five southeastern Vermont public high schools. P3 helps students develop their personalized learning plans (PLP) through learning experiences to develop knowledge about career opportunities, and achieve their goals after graduation. Students develop soft skills, financial literacy, knowledge about economic sectors and skills in-demand through hands-on activities, work-based learning, and mentorships. Pipelines & Pathways is a BDCC Workforce Center of Excellence program based on SeVEDS strategies to increase the size and quality of the region’s workforce.
P3 was originally launched as a five year pilot, thanks to historic investment from the Vermont Community Foundation and McClure Foundation, the Vermont Training Program, WCEDP Vermont Yankee closure funds, and municipal contributions to SeVEDS. In 2023, at the end of that pilot phase, P3 reached a major program milestone by commitments from the private sector. M&T Bank, whose support was matched by local employers G.S. Precision and C&S Wholesale Grocers joins funding partners McClure Foundation, the George W. Mergens Foundation, the Windham Regional Career Center, the West River Education District, and the Windham Southwest Supervisory Union, in supporting P3 across southeastern Vermont. Portions of the program also receive support through the Workforce Opportunity for Rural Communities (WORC) program of the Northern Border Regional Commission.
For more information please visit https://brattleborodevelopment.com/engaging-with-high-school-students/
###
