Students in three programs at Lima Senior High School are getting real-work experience while helping a local community agency with its marketing needs.
The Lima City Schools and Lima/Allen Council on Community Affairs (LACCA) recently announced the new partnership at Lima Mayor David Berger’s weekly press conference.
Looking for ways to increase marketing efforts, LACCA approached the school district about getting some help from high school students. The needs of the agency fit well into the kinds of things students in several of the school’s programs are learning.
The programs involved are DECA, Graphic Design and Interactive Multimedia.
“Programs like these and others at Lima Senior do a tremendous job at preparing students for careers,” Superintendent Jill Ackerman said. “Partnerships like these enhance that education by giving students real-work experience. With this collaboration, students will learn about a vital community resource, and can be proud to promote an agency like LACCA and all the good things it does for our community.”
Steve Gilroy, LACCA community services block grant and IT coordinator, said that as a grant-funded, charitable community action agency, LACCA is restricted on how it can spend its grant funds.
“Very few grants allow for funds to be spent on advertising or marketing efforts, so this partnership with the Lima City Schools is a great opportunity for both organizations,” he said.
DECA students do an advertising campaign project every spring. This year’s project will involve coming up with a campaign for LACCA. Along with preparing projects and competing state and internationally, DECA students are always working on projects, including running the DECA store and Spartan Spirit Shack.
Graphic design students will work on print materials to promote the agency and upcoming events. The program already does a lot of print and design work for the school district and community.
Interactive multimedia students will work on Public Service Announcements and other video projects for LACCA. Students have done other projects in the community and for the school district.
DECA Teacher Chrissy Hood said this is a great opportunity for students in all three programs to work together on one project.
LACCA thrives on partnerships, with over 80 existing partnerships in Allen, Auglaize and Mercer counties. Gilroy said the new partnership with Lima City Schools is another great way for LACCA to partner in the community for the benefit of all.