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. …

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…

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…

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. …

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…

Cedar Shoals High School JROTC instructors see the success stories.   There’s Zachary Van Hessen, who entered high school out of shape, but joined the Raider team and transformed himself into a fit athlete, earning a full scholarship to West Point. There’s Logan Rounsaville who worked full-time while attending school, living in an apartment with no…