TPS students in innovative Y.E.S. program demonstrate their skills during COBI visit

Since October, 2017, more than a dozen students at the Toledo Public Schools Jones Leadership Academy have been enhancing their leadership skills through a new program called Young Executive Scholars (Y.E.S.) conducted by their partner, The University of Toledo College of Business and Innovation.

“This partnership exposed a select group of high school students to leadership skills, business etiquette aptitude, communication taboos and protocol, professional dress and dining etiquette while allowing them the opportunity to network with UT COBI faculty and staff,” explained COBI Professor Selina Griswold.

In February, for one session of their programming, the students came to COBI to demonstrate their skills by interacting with COBI faculty and staff.

“This has been absolutely amazing,” TPS Principal Ward Barnett said. “It has been one of the best programs I have seen, as far as the kids coming out of their shells, learning how to network. This is a game changer. It’s one thing to do it in theory, but it’s a whole other thing to come out and practice it.”

“This is wonderful…I can’t find the words how much this means to me, for our kids to be in this kind of environment. To a lot of our kids, sometimes UT can seem to be 100 miles away, and this makes it tangible,” Mr. Barnett said. “Their etiquette and how they carry themselves is totally different, even when I watch other kids in their age group, just the way they interact.”

“They are learning the skills they are often judged on, but don’t know, the language of business, those things that you just don’t know, like how you should shake someone’s hand, how you look them in the eye, how you should carry yourself when you are networking. Our kids learning those things gives them an edge,” Mr. Barnett said.

“When I joined this program it helped me get used to talking with people, helped me not to be so shy,” said Y.E.S. participant Dishe. “I would recommend this program.”

“My kids are learning things that adults don’t do,” Mr. Barnett said. “And it’s real. Coming here to the University makes it tangible. The fact that they felt nerves was good, because it gets you out of your comfort zone, and for anyone to be successful, there are tons of times that we all need to get out of our comfort zone. So I love them for their courage, to stick out the program and to come here.”

“The UT COBI people did not need to come here, but because they cared enough to come, that meant a lot to the students,” he said. “For the students to see people outside of their normal circle who care, that’s big. This is powerful.”