As part of Junior Achievement’s national Job Shadow Day on February 6, 2,400 students in Greater Cincinnati went out into the community to experience real businesses first-hand. Students from Taylor High School’s business management class visited Willow Creative Group, a full-service marketing agency in Over-the-Rhine.

At the agency, students heard from employees about their roles, participated in a tour of the office space and took part in a brainstorming session. During the interactive session, students were asked to come up with a name for a tennis shoe for seniors.

“NikecAir” called out one student.

“SilverSneaks or maybe GoldenToes,” his classmate chimed in.

“These could be the marketers of the next generation,” said Debbie Dent, president of Willow Creative Group. “Whatever their future career might be, we loved having the students with us for the day. We’ve hosted students for job shadow day for the past four years, and their energy is always contagious!”

“After four years of participating in the event, this was by far the most engaging and interactive job shadow experience my students have had the benefit of being part of,” said Aaron Bradley, business management instructor at Taylor High School.

JA Worldwide is the world’s largest organization dedicated to educating students about workforce readiness, entrepreneurship and financial literacy through experiential, hands-on programs such as Job Shadow Day.

The Soap Box Derby is back in Cincinnati on Saturday, June 21, when youth, ages 8 -17, will race their cars down the Gilbert Avenue hill.

Corporate sponsors are supporting individual drivers from the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Cincinnati. Willow Creative Group has been a corporate racer since the rebirth of the Derby two years ago. This year, they are loaning their Sharkboy soapbox car to Brandon Reising, a seventh grade student from the Espy Boys & Girls Club.

Brandon said this is the “coolest” activity that he’s participated in through the Boys & Girls Club, and he is confident and excited about driving Sharkboy car. “I’m ready,” he said.

“This is right up Brandon’s alley,” said Liz Mitchell, director of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Cincinnati. “When he comes to club, he’s constantly tinkering with his bike and working on mechanical things. When we asked him if he wanted to drive the car for the Soap Box Derby, all he said was ‘Yes!’”

Twice as many drivers are participating this year - nearly half of whom are drawn from the center of the city. Doug Newberry, spokesperson for non-profit Soap Box Derby, Inc., commented on the diverse participation and support that has continued to grow over the pat two years ago. “The corporate sponsorships have made racing available to a wide range of youth,” said Newberry.

Excitement about soap box car racing isn’t contained in Cincinnati. Other cities across the country and around the world have joined in the fun. Louisville’s sophomore run was this year, where the Sharkboy car made its debut earlier this month.

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