NEW WINDSOR, N.Y. (December 3, 2018) – The Accelerator, a certified New York State incubator focused on bringing manufacturing back to the mid-Hudson Valley, recently partnered with the Orange County Youth Bureau to host the inaugural Emerging Leaders Youth Conference for Orange County high school students. The half-day event was held in the Mary French Rockefeller Environmental Education Center at the YMCA Greenkill Camp in Huguenot, N.Y.
Powered by the Orange County Industrial Development Agency, The Accelerator is a regional economic development team that focuses on start-up businesses. The organization’s Nov. 27 event included workshops focused on professional development. The sessions included: The Best Version of You; Professional Communications in the Modern Age; Resources and Resumes; and Mock Interview Sessions.
Approximately 50 students from across the county in grades 10-12 gathered in the Mary French Rockefeller Environmental Education Center, which offers a beautiful 300-seat auditorium with stage, numerous conference rooms and meeting spaces, as well as a wildlife observatory. The students represented seven school districts, including: NFA West; Washingtonville, Warwick, Valley Central, S.S. Seward, Pine Bush, and Port Jervis.
“One of the most valuable assets in Orange County is the untapped potential of our youth. This inaugural event allowed us to equip high school students with the tools and resources to help them become successful collegiate students and young professionals,” said Laurie Villasuso, Chief Operating Officer and Executive Vice President of the Orange County IDA. “We are pleased with this year’s turnout and look forward to extending these resources through an annual event.”
The students and teachers in attendance also remarked on the event’s success.
“Fantastic conference! We hope it becomes an annual event,” said Kate Oldham, a Guidance Counselor at Port Jervis High School.
“This conference taught me valuable things that I wouldn’t learn in school,” said a student at Warwick Valley High School.
“I learned MUCH more than I expected—I loved it!” said a student at Newburgh Free Academy North Campus.
Christine Brinckerhoff, Superintendent of City of Middletown Recreation; Jerome Christie, former Cornell Cooperative Extension Youth Development Leader; Karolyn Thompson, Executive Director Leadership Orange; Diahan Scott, Vice President of Outreach & External Programs at Cornerstone Healthcare; Inaudy Esposito, Executive Director of Orange County Human Rights Commission; Grace Riario, Assistant Director & Outreach Coordinator Ramapo Library; Pastor Jose Vasquez, Lead Pastor Church At The Bridge in Newburgh and Boys & Girls Club Advisor; Amanda Dana, Director of Orange County Tourism; Bill Fioravanti, Director of Orange County Office of Economic Development; Steven Pack, Orange County Juvenile Detention Alternative Coordinator at Southwest Key Program and retired NYPD, were among the industry professionals that moderated the event and hosted 5-minute mock interview sessions with the conference’s attendees.
About The Accelerator
Strategically located in the Hudson Valley, The Accelerator is a certified New York State incubator focused on bringing manufacturing back to the mid-Hudson Valley. Powered by the Orange County Industrial Development Agency, The Accelerator works to attract manufacturing-based businesses in many areas, including fashion design and production, bottling, artisan manufacturing and artisan foods. The Accelerator provides below-market occupancy costs, workforce training, mentoring programs, easy access to experienced professionals and a high-tech plug-and-play environment with SMARTT Pods and a host of other resources.For more information, visit theaccelerator.business.
