(From Raise the Bar Hancock County)

Raise the Bar {RTB) and University of Findlay (UF) have partnered and are excited to announce the 2024 Summer Educator Experience in Transportation, a unique professional development opportunity for Ohio-licensed K-12 educators in NW Ohio.

RTB Executive Director, Tricia Valasek and Dr. Julie McIntosh, Dean of the College of Education from the University of Findlay were approved by Governor DeWine and Lt. Governor Husted as one of eight institutions in Ohio to host a Teacher Boot Camp Program.

This innovative hybrid graduate course along with in-person local business tours, is designed to immerse educators in the transportation industry, providing them with valuable insights and tools to enhance their teaching practices used to strengthen the local upcoming workforce.

The program, enrolling twenty five educators, aims to address professional challenges by introducing emerging education concepts such as career development and exploration, ensuring participants gain a comprehensive understanding of the transportation sector.

Participants will engage in both face-to-face and distance learning pedagogies, accumulating a total of 36 contact hours that meet UF’s graduate course standards. The course will encompass independent reading and writing exercises, group sessions, workplace tours, and the development of a final unit lesson/presentation.

The program is designed to be beneficial to educators across various grade levels and content areas. The highlight of the program includes three consecutive days of touring.

Each day will focus on different aspects of the transportation industry, featuring guest speakers, workplace visits, and direct interactions with industry professionals.

This will be taking place June 17 – June 19  at the University of Findlay.