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Building Futures One Student at a Time: HireSmart Cares Receives Top Community Award
They're the real thing. That was the message from Cindy Jones as she presented Mark and Anne Lackey, co-founders of HireSmart Cares, with the Nonprofit of the Year award at the Madison County Chamber of Commerce's annual banquet Feb. 12. "When you first meet this dynamic duo, you might honestly wonder if a couple this generous and genuine…
Hambrick Earns Certification and Confidence with Help from HireSmart Cares
Two hundred forty-five dollars was the difference between getting certified and staying on the sidelines for Robert Hambrick. The Madison County High School senior wanted to follow his dad into forklift work, but the cost of training stood in the way, then HireSmart Cares covered the $245 fee for a one-day certification class at Athens Technical College. …
‘Shark Tank 101’ — Students Learn How to Pitch Their Businesses
Madico Flex Participants Prepare for Competition with Local Entrepreneurs Picture yourself walking into a room with twenty-five other entrepreneurs, all competing for the same $10,000 prize. You have ten minutes to convince a panel of judges that your business deserves their investment over everyone else’s. Your heart is racing. What do you say? That was the challenge Mark…
The Choices that Get You Hired: HireSmart Founders Talk Jobs with Commerce Students
Anne Lackey failed the typing test at the bank. She needed to type 25 words per minute but couldn't. Her guidance counselor had told her not to take typing in high school because she was on the college track and would have a secretary. (For the record: Anne has never had a secretary.) Failing that…
Polished and Prepared: Empower Students Learn Professional Dining Skills
Students sat around properly set tables at Empower College and Career Center, each with a glazed donut on their plate. But this wasn't a typical snack break. With forks and knives in hand, the students were about to spend the next few minutes learning something many had never done before: eating with proper dining etiquette. …
Blue Jackets, Big Dreams: One Senior’s Life-Changing Trip to Indianapolis
Tilly Anderson had never been to Indianapolis before. She'd never experienced anything quite like walking into the FFA National Convention and seeing thousands of blue FFA jackets filling the massive space. "It was like this overwhelming feeling of brotherhood and love," said the Madison County High School senior. "I always hear about these experiences, and…