Businesses and Students Celebrated Successful Year with United Way BEST

May 8, 2017--Local business partners of and student participants in the United Way Business and Education Succeed Together (BEST) program were recognized for their work during the 2016-2017 school year on Thursday at Missouri Western State University.

Graduating seniors who participated in the program as freshmen were also recognized. Martial Thevenot with Perka Buildings was the keynote speaker.

Over the past year, the United Way BEST program has brought businesses and students from Lafayette High School and Benton High School together through company presentations and tours. United Way BEST business partners include Altec Industries, Inc., Harley Davidson, Hillyard Inc., KCP&L, Missouri Air National Guard 139th Airlift Wing, Sheet Metal Worker Apprenticeship Program, St. Joseph Police Department, Ellison-Auxier Architects, Inc., Mosaic Life Care, and Plumbers & Pipefitters Local #45.

The goal of the United Way BEST program is to have students learn about the training and education required for many careers, local businesses, and different jobs available throughout our community. Speakers from the businesses emphasize that their businesses hire only high school graduates and that many of the jobs require further training. United Way BEST students also complete community service projects.

For more than 25 years, United Way Profit In Education has led the Greater St. Joseph community to improve the education of the potential and current workforce. In 1989, a coalition of businesses, agencies and educators, led by United Way of Greater St. Joseph, came together to address the high student dropout rate in our community. This coalition, which became United Way Profit In Education, agreed to only hire employees who had a minimum of a high school diploma or a GED or who were currently working on their diplomas. In addition, coalition members agreed to strongly encourage current employees to pursue further education and training. Because of that agreement, the high school dropout rate decreased significantly. United Way Profit In Education partners continue to stand by these conditions today, and in turn, students know how important graduation is.

United Way is a non-profit agency that aims to improve lives through the caring power of community by focusing on education, health, and financial stability, that has served the community for more than 100 years, and that invites the community to LIVE UNITED by giving, advocating and volunteering. United Way of Greater St. Joseph operates seven Initiatives/ Programs and supports 17 local Partner Agencies. To learn more, like United Way of Greater St. Joseph on Facebook or follow UnitedWayStJoe on Twitter or on United Way of Greater St. Joseph on LinkedIn.