CCYL class explores poverty, social services during program day

On Tuesday, Dec. 9, Coshocton County Youth Leadership joined the adult leadership class on the poverty and social service program day. Our program planners were Jandi Adams, Brooke Bigrigg, Jodi Morrison and Cassie Spain.

We started the day with breakfast provided by Schumaker’s. We then continued the day with icebreaker games where we got to learn interesting facts about the members.

We then got introduced to Emily Marrison, who was in charge of the poverty simulation. As a class we all got assigned to a family, and we had to play the role of a family living in poverty, which was very eye-opening.

Then we traveled to Coshocton Regional Medical Center, where they provided lunch for us. After lunch we welcomed Stephanie Conn and got to learn about the history of the Coshocton Regional Medical Center and all the different programs it offers throughout the hospital.

Kaylee Andrews and Brooke Bigrigg gave us a tour of the hospital, and we got to see and learn about all the different facilities in the hospital. After the tour we came back and met with Jed McCoy from Coshocton County DJFS and heard about the opportunities it gives around Coshocton.

To wrap up the day, we got to hear from the social service organization panel. This included Blue Sky Voice and Opportunity founders Ray Hardesty and Eva Moon, Metropolitan Housing Agency's Lisa Mowery, Coshocton Public Transit's Tracy Haines, Coshocton Behavioral Health Choices' Jeanette Hall, and Coshocton County Department of Job & Family Services' Jed McCoy and Jaime Freeman. All five organizations gave a brief summary of how they help and serve the community.

Our group is very fortunate to learn about what goes on in others' lives and ways our community members can provide opportunities for them. If interested in learning more about Coshocton County Youth Leadership, email Executive Director Betsy Gosnell at lead@coshoctonfoundation.org.

This column was written by CCYL class member Aurora Yoder.