Mansfield-Richland Area Edu Fndtn Inc

Young Leaders Institute was launched in October 2023 with 34 students representing every school district in Richland County. Young Leaders Institute (YLI) offered these high school sophomores an opportunity to grow as leaders, learn about career pathways, and explore their community over six program days. Students worked in groups to create community outreach strategies for the Sterkel Community Park for All.

The Microsoft TechSpark initiative is designed to accelerate local economic opportunity across communities in the United States. Whether it is promoting digital skills and employability or job creation, TechSpark provides opportunities in places where talent often gets overlooked. The Richland Area Chamber & Economic Development/Richland Community Development Group/Mansfield-Richland Area Educational Foundation is representing Ohio in the Microsoft TechSpark program. In 2023-2024, the Chamber united businesses, government entities, K-12 school districts, and higher education around the common goal of creating and sustaining a digital education ecosystem. The initiative helped to create multiple programs impacting 300 young people and adults including Girls Who Code clubs, Teacher Technology Boot Camp, Code a Carnival Camp, Arduino camp, and Stellar Robotics' FIRST Robotics Competition.