Lucas Adcock
Staff Writer
Pocahontas County students attended the 32nd annual Eighth Grade Business Luncheon May 20, hosted by Snowshoe Mountain. The students had the opportunity to learn about various business operations that the county has to offer, how to build and create a brand for themselves, and were even given volunteer and work opportunities for the future.
The Mountain Lodge Ballroom of the Snowshoe Mountain Ski Resort was filled with students, guest interviewers, Pocahontas County Convention and Visitor Bureau (PCCVB,) board members, in the midst of and tables that had been properly set with nice dinnerware and silverware.
The event began with an introduction from CVB Executive Director Chelsea Faulknier.
“I was a Marlinton Middle School student, and attended the eighth grade luncheon,” Faulknier said, explaining the events of the day: mock-interviews, brand-building and volunteer opportunities, saying, “These sessions are going to give you some valuable tips to help you when thinking about your future.”
Faulknier introduced CVB Vice-President Mikey Valach, who works at Snowshoe. “Snowshoe is really proud of all of you,” he’d said. “You look very nice today. Take this experience, put your best foot forward, and get the valuable feedback from all these folks that are here today to give you information and their time.”
Following an ice-breaker from WVU extension agent Luci Mosesso, the students broke off into three groups, all of them making the rounds to each session. By far the most nerve-racking session for the students were the mock-interviews. Each student met with the interviewer that most-aligned to their career interest, sitting one-on-one for the interviews. These sessions really sparked a level of confidence in the students that pushed them to ask questions and become more engaged throughout the event.
Next was building a brand – What makes you, you?
The session was introduced by Trisha Barb.
“Everyone has a brand whether you know it or not,” she began. “A brand is how people talk about you, whether you’re in the room or not. It’s your personality. What you bring to the table. What your value and skills are. Your brand is a part of the “buyer’s journey.”
The buyer’s journey is when a consumer realizes that they have a need or want, and then they buy a solution to fit the need or want.
“Maybe you notice the cool new shoes that others are wearing,” she said. “That is awareness. That is what brands want. They want you to choose them.”
She urged the students to consider what products they would sell for their own brand, if any. She then explained that things such as careers and scholarships, trade jobs, universities, are all consumers for the students’ personal brands.
“Your skills, values, personality,” Barb said. “These are the things you’re selling to others.”
Presenting with Barb, was Makinsey Poeppel, also on the PCCVB staff. She beautifully explained mission statements to the students – how to craft them, how to personalize them, and how to enhance them by creating an eye-catching tagline, like Nike’s “Just do it.” Poeppel, who runs the Pocahontas County social media page, shares her love for the online presence, and how posting videos and other creative stories invites others outside of the county, even across the world, to come and experience our beautiful home where we’re so privileged to live.
The last breakout session focused on volunteer efforts and future careers with Mon Forest Towns and SHARC.
Sam Kniery of MFT explained the importance of volunteer work at such an early age, especially when the students would eventually be able to present that to various universities and businesses when they apply. When it comes to volunteering, Kniery urged the students to consider volunteering time to things that they otherwise may not have considered.
“It’s just as important for understanding what you want to do in life, to gain experience and learn from the things that you don’t like to do.”
He expressed how the students would be gaining so many skills in the process, not to mention self-fulfillment.
“You can’t put a price tag on putting in a good day’s work and going to bed with a smile on your face, proud of all the things that you’ve done and all the things you’ve learned.”
Once the sessions were completed, everyone returned to the ballroom, where Faulknier introduced the panel members. This was the first eighth grade luncheon where a panel discussion was implemented, but it was a very successful addition.
Panel members answered various questions about their careers, how they built those careers and the interests that led them to it. Essentially, how to narrow your funnel of interests and craft those skills into a career, whether that’s here in Pocahontas County or not.
Once the panel concluded, CVB president Robert Sheets spoke about the panel members, praising them for three specific things that the eighth graders could take with them: “They show up,” he began. “They show effort. And they show respect.”
Sheets admired the students as they presented themselves, showing up, putting effort into something as simple as their dress clothes, and how respectful they were at the luncheon.
After the luncheon concluded, I had the privilege of speaking with Ruth Taylor, who was the founder of both the PCCVB and the Eighth Grade Luncheon. She spoke about how the students had been so receptive of the luncheon for the last 32 years.
“And now,” she said, “So many students even work here [Snowshoe], part-time.”
When the luncheon first started all those years ago, nearly every student in attendance for the first two years had not had the chance to visit Snowshoe Mountain.
Taylor saw that as an opportunity to continue hosting it at the resort year after year.
Now, 32 years later, not a single hand in the room was raised when the students were asked whose first time it was visiting Snowshoe. The students took a valuable learning experience from this luncheon that they can use as they transition into high school, with their futures more closely in mind.
