Matthew King, Lakota East/Digital Media Arts Program, Butler Tech

Matthew King is a senior at Lakota East, studying in the Digital Media Arts Program sponsored by Butler Tech. According to King, being a part of this program has allowed him to find a focus for his career and future. In this program, he has really enjoyed the video production portion. His program has made videos for educational purposes, non-profits and local businesses. King liked finding the story in each of these videos and using that story to make the video come to life and deliver its message.

He has produced videos for The Ohio Children’s Trust Fund, the Joe Foss Institute and the No Bull Challenge.

He has also used his video production skills to give back to the community. Working with his school’s guidance counselor, King worked to create documentaries on both stress management and teens and drugs. These documentaries, which were funded by an Ohio educational grant, were shown around Ohio to students, counselors and administrators.

Currently, King is helping his National Honor Society’s Chapter to raise funds and awareness for Spina Bifida. King helped to create a video for the campaign and is helping to raise awareness in the community. This video reached 40,000 views in only a week’s time. His group is also pushing to get Ellen DeGeneres to either attended their event, or recognize them on her daily talk show. This project has caught the attention of many local figures as well who are now involved, such as the President of the University of Cincinnati and a state senator.

After graduation, King hopes to attend Belmont University for their five year program where he can earn his undergraduate degree as well as his MBA. He would also like to go to Belmont for the nearby companies he will have the opportunity to network with. Lastly, he wants to be close to his older sister who attends Vanderbilt University, which is minutes from Belmont.

Courtney Ross, Auburn Career Center

Courtney Ross, senior at Aubrun Career Center, is studying to become a physical therapist. Through their Sports Medicine program, Courtney has both been prepared for the college coursework she will soon face as well as different situations she may face as a professional. She wants to work in the medical field to help improve the lives of others.

Ross has also participated in a program through Precision Orthopedics, allowing her to be an assistant athletic trainer for Chardon football, where she goes to school. As an assistant athletic trainer, it was her job to set up the field with equipment, help the athletic  trainer tend to hurt players, tape ankles, and keep the team hydrated.

 Another opportunity that Ross has had has been the shadowing of an orthopedic surgeon and a physical therapist. Through her shadowing she was able to experience both careers as well as see the patient doctor relationship from the doctors side.

Through her program and these experiences, Ross has become certified in First Aid, CPR and AED training. By the end of her program, she will also be certified in Career Safe OSHA, personal fitness and in National Heath Care Skills.

Ross’s high school, Chardon, experienced a tragic school shooting back last year. She was able to use her training and attended to a wounded student during that time. The tragic incident has only furthered her drive to help people.

Ross is a part of a group called Actively Caring for People(AC4P). While a part of this group, they were able to accomplish a project for the “pay it forward” movement. In this program they purchased green wristbands. Whenever they experienced someone doing a kind act, they handed out a wristband to that person and encouraged them to wear it until they witnessed a kind act themselves. When this happened they were suppose to pass on the wristband to this new person, and so on. Ross was in charge of raising donations in the name of the wristbands. She was able to raise over fifteen hundred in donations. The money was then donated to Aurora, Colorado and Newtown, Connecticut, in a pay it forward act itself to give back as her school was given to after the shooting.

After graduation, Ross will either attended Slippery Rock University or Walsh University. She is currently deciding between these two schools.