Genesis: Pathways to Success (GPS) helped spark a $20,000 grant for Ripley County Schools in Indiana to implement a community and employer-recognized work ethic certification program. The grant will support programming during the 2017-18 school year for four Ripley County school districts - Batesville, Jac-Cen-Del, Milan and South Ripley - to develop the Governor's Work Ethic Certificate. High school seniors who successfully complete the program will receive a Governor's Work Ethic Certificate signed by the Governor and Indiana Department of Workforce Development Commissioner. Local employers provided letters of support confirming the value of employability skills and offering program graduates preferred applicant status and guaranteed interviews.

1. NEWSRELEASE
December16, 2016 Contact Information:
For Immediate Release Cheryll Obendorf
Executive Director,Genesis:PathwaystoSuccess
cobendorf@genesisp2s.org
GENESIS: PATHWAYS TO SUCCESS SPARKS $20,000 GRANT FOR RIPLEY COUNTY SCHOOLS
Batesville,Indiana–Genesis:PathwaystoSuccess (GPS),the STEMinitiative of RipleyCountyCommunity
Foundation, inpartnership withBatesville,Jac-Cen-Del,MilanandSouth RipleySchoolCorporations,wasthe
catalystfor a grant to implementacommunityandemployer-recognizedworkethiccertificationprogram. South
RipleySchool Corporationwill serveasfiscal agentinthe managementof this$20,000 grant.
Forty-twograntapplicationsrepresenting132school corporationsfromacross Indianawere submittedtothe
IndianaDepartmentof Workforce Development(DWD) tosupportthe developmentandimplementationof the
Governor’sWorkEthic Certificate (WEC) program.The 18 selectedpilotprogramswillimplementprogramming
duringthe 2017-18 school year.The grant alsorequiresrecipientstodevelopa“Trainthe Trainer” planto train
neighboringschool districtsinanefforttoreplicate the programintheircommunities.
“For the past eightyears,andprobablylongbefore that,we’ve heardfromemployersthatthere isa lackof ‘soft
skills’inthe workforce.The Governor’sWECprovidesamodel thatwill helpyoungpeople understandthe value
and benefitof notonlyastrong workethic,butalsoa level of professionalismthatisexpectedbyemployers,”
saidCheryll Obendorf,directorof GPS.
The Governor’sWEC is part of an ongoingefforttoencourage collaborationamongemployers,local school
districtsandcareer centers.Employerinputisrequiredduringthe developmentof aprogram to provide high
school studentswiththe understandingof the employabilityskillsindemandbylocal employers.
“Hoosieremployersroutinelycite employabilityskillsasthe most challengingcharacteristicstofindinapplicants
and newhires,”saidStevenJ.Braun,DWD Commissioner. “The Governor’sWorkEthicCertificateprogramis
designedtoprovide Hoosieremployerswithapipeline of workerswithaprovenworkethicandassist Indiana
communitiesinclosingthe skillsgap.”
In RipleyCounty,10employersprovidedlettersof supportforthe consortium’sapplication.Those employers
confirmedthe value of these employabilityskillsbyofferingpromisesof advisoryboardmembers, applicantpool
preference andguaranteedjobinterviewstothe graduatesreceivingthe WEC.
“We were excitedtosee the RipleyCountyschoolsincludedamongthose awardedgrantsbythe Departmentof
Workforce Development,”saidSouthRipleySuperintendent RobMoorhead. “We have developedstrong
collaborative relationshipsamongthe fourpublicschool districtsinRipleyCountyandlookforwardtopartnering
withour businesscommunitytodevelopthe parametersforthe WorkEthic Certificatesthatcanbe earnedby our
graduates. Thiswill helptostrengthenthe College andCareerreadinessactivitiesthatare alreadyunder wayin
each school district.”

2. Highschool seniorswhosuccessfullycomplete the programwillreceive aGovernor’sWEC,signedbythe
Governorof Indianaand the IndianaDWD Commissioners.
“We lookforwardto the day whenwe are able to quicklyidentifyjobapplicantswiththe WorkEthicCertificate in
orderto give thempreference inthe applicantpool,”saidJennyDarnold,regionalseniorvice presidentof retail
bankingat GermanAmericanBank.
The GPS SuccessActionTeam isa coalitionof business,manufacturing,education,healthcare andgovernment
representativesinRipleyCountythatassembles regularly todetermine workforce and educationneedsthat
impactthe economyof RipleyCounty. Thisteamrecognizesthe valueof the WorkEthic Certificate.
"We are excitedtobe one of the firstcommunitiesinthe state toofferthe Work Ethic Certificationprogramto
the studentsinour area,”BatesvilleMayorMike Bettice commented. “We know thatdevelopingthe ‘softskills’
neededtoenterthe workforce is critical butoftenoverlooked. Studentswill have the opportunityto develop
organizational skillsand learnhowtobe a teamplayerwhile understandingthe importance of beingpunctual and
respectful of others.Iwantto personallythankCheryll andthe GPSActionTeamfor theirhardworkin making
sure studentsinour areaare providedwiththe toolsnecessarytoaddressthe professional andtechnical
challengestheymayface whenstartingacareer."
Genesis: Pathways to Success (GPS) is an initiative of the Ripley County Community Foundation dedicated to
empowering students to succeed in STEMby developing programs in areas such as engineering, agriculture, health
science and technology as well as by supporting events that encourage students to apply curious minds and critical
thinking skills to real-world opportunities. GPS generates ongoing and meaningful dialogue and collaboration to
prepare a talent pipeline for a globally dynamic marketplace. For additional information, please visit
www.genesisp2s.org.
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