Dream It! Do It! Fremont Getting Teachers Involved
Source: Greater Fremont Development Council
Date: 01/21/2014
Greater Fremont Development supports the Fremont Dream It! Do It! program that links local high school students with college credits, local employers, paid internships, invaluable experience, and even additional training and employment opportunities.
80+ FPS Teachers Tour Christensen Lumber, Inc., and Overland Products on Monday Afternoon.
While students had a day off for Martin Luther King Day, their teachers were learning more about opportunities for manufacturing careers in Fremont. As a committee member of the Fremont Dream It! Do It! committee since its beginning in 2011, Barb Pierce, Business Development Coordinator with Greater Fremont Development Council was asked to approach the high school about providing tours for FHS teachers during one of their in-service teacher days.
One of the Dream It! Do It! Committee goals is finding ways to introduce our local students to the many career opportunities right within the community of Fremont. “Since our high school teachers interact with students on a regular basis and often know whether a student ‘has a plan’ for after graduation or could use some guidance in that area, we began looking for ways to equip the teachers with more information about careers in Fremont,” Pierce said. The committee developed the idea of incorporating business tours into a teacher in-service day. “We were very pleased with the enthusiasm of Principal Story when approached,” said Pierce. Both Principal Story and school counselor, Mark Williams, were deeply involved in bringing the opportunity to FHS educators.
Dan Demuth, Vice President of Christensen Lumber, whose truss manufacturing plant was one of the facilities toured on Monday afternoon was incredibly pleased with the enthusiasm displayed by FHS teachers. “These teachers have the ability to tell students about the great opportunities available at Fremont manufacturers, and hopefully today will help them encourage students to explore what is available locally,” said Demuth.
A family-owned Fremont business since 1923, Christensen Lumber’s 40,500sf manufacturing plant produces high quality floor and roof trusses and wall panels for residential, multi-family, commercial and agricultural buildings. CEO, Tom Christensen was very appreciative of GFDC’s efforts to put this event together. “We’re genuinely committed for the long run,” said Christensen, indicating his company’s commitment to ongoing workforce initiatives in Fremont, like Dream It! Do It!