A Tribute to LFYO's 40 Business Partners
Brace yourself. If you don’t like personal and professional call-outs, really call-ups, then reading this article might set off your discomfort alarm bells. So be it, because our most vulnerable youth are in big trouble and they don’t even know it. That’s why we (you and I) need to do more. A whole lot more — right now! Writing checks to or volunteering at a local nonprofit organization is great. But here’s an even better alternative for high-impact companies with a social mandate: opening their doors so at-risk youth can see success up close, in real time. To learn what it takes to find a good job or start a thriving business. To discover where their skillset will be best used and most appreciated. To understand why they don’t have any time to waste in a highly competitive (and AI job-shrinking) labor market. You see, a lack of vision is arguably the biggest reason why young people from disadvantaged backgrounds check out. At school. On cue. In life. They often have nothing to look forward to regarding favorable outcomes in the future, which is why their interest capital is usually spent on what makes them feel good at the present moment. Here, their mood drives their mode. In other words, feelings (and not values) serve as their de facto guide. That’s a bad place for anyone to be, let alone a young person with a malfunctioning internal navigation system.
Solving problems. Following instructions. Producing results. Assessing (and taking calculated) risks. Maximizing opportunities. Controlling emotions. Handling pressure. Completing projects — on time and within budget. Working efficiently. Collaborating effectively. Communicating clearly. Embracing change. Inspiring others. Recognizing (and preventing) mistakes. Developing talents. Giving back. Dreaming big. These are the “soft” and “hard” skills employers expect, among others, from today’s multifaceted employees. And targeted brain development in these skill-building areas — inside and outside of traditional schooling — is critical to helping disadvantaged youth get up to speed in a dynamic and ever-changing employment landscape. Check this out. A shortchanged child needs a shortcut-providing mentor, or life-changing experience, to make up for lost ground. Vulnerable students, in the majority of cases, are way behind academically and inspirationally. Multiyear academic deficiencies and multigenerational systemic inequities are hard, if not impossible, to close without a bridge-building catalyst in place. Enter unforgettable field trips to area businesses to help connect the relevancy dots. Let me explain.
Although a lot of work for LFYO and our business partners, it is well worth the effort. On our end, we must align in-class activities with real-world applications before going on field trips. Without context, inner-city kids are totally lost in translation. No frame of reference, no short- or long-term buy-in. The result? Opportunity wasted, and worse, the learning experience will likely be immediately stored under the “pain avoidance” category in their amygdala, also known as the emotional memory center. That’s why we use sensory-based learning modalities (in the form of customized PDF games on iPads) to draw youth in. Overlay the fun, underlay the fundamentals — as in lessons learned, knowledge gained, and dream(er/ing) restored. For disadvantaged students, the field trips should be an engaging, exciting, and empowering experience.
With engagement, make them feel welcome the moment they enter the building. In fact, meet them outside just as they’re approaching the front door. Throw on a radiant smile. Offer a handshake (or dap if you’re a germaphobe like me), followed by an upbeat introduction. Remember: It’s your responsibility to establish the oxytocin bond right from the onset, not theirs. For some businesses, excitement is the hardest thing to pull off. Sorry traditional banks, engineering firms, and manufacturing companies, to name a few — I’m just saying. Don’t fret; be creative. Limit the lectures (that will lead them to boredom) … pass around the fixtures (that they can hold as future product designers) … highlight the features (that they’ll one day have access to as investors or homeowners) … allow the gestures (that they can freely express without being judged). Engagement is good, excitement is better, but empowerment is best. Empowerment is the litmus test for every field trip experience, which may take days, weeks, months, years, or decades to pay off. When it happens, attitudes improve, perspectives shift, and behaviors change. Yes, this is easier said than done. Again, it’s a lot of work, but there is a workable solution to closing the opportunity divide in America. One-third is on their frontline support system (caregivers, family members, and educators), one-third is on us (nonprofit organizations, social service agencies, and community-minded investors), and one-third is on them (at-risk youth).
Want to see our students in action? Hit the play button to watch a short recap video of our recent field trips to area businesses!
With limited space, I can’t highlight every one of our 40 business partners (and we need more!), but here are a few of them. First up is AutoTool Inc., an equipment and automation manufacturer. I’ve known Jason Moore, the CEO, for over forty years. He was one of the first white suburban kids here in Central Ohio to hoop, and hold his own, on an AAU team with black inner-city players. Well-spoken, well-dressed, and well-liked, he greets every teen by name at the front door. Jason provides a delicious lunch for the group, gives them a tour of the facility, and allows participants to ask lots of thought-provoking questions. Kim Bodrick is a client-experience manager at Continental Office, which offers full-service solutions for commercial interiors. Kim’s lively personality and friendly demeanor eases participants’ fears, who initially, aren’t quite sure what the experience will entail. After a brief tour of office space layouts to gain inspiration, the youth are placed in their respective teams. While competing in Kim’s Designer Challenge Game, disinterest vanishes and creativity picks up as the vulnerable teens design their office space masterpieces. Each team presents their finished project to the entire group, with bragging rights and prizes up for grabs. This two-hour field trip goes by so fast!
One of our newest partners is ArtNewCo., a whimsical vintage art boutique owned by entrepreneur and art lover Hannah Gleason. With over 800 pieces of rare vintage art and jewelry, ArtNewCo. offers a range of affordable price-points for even the most cost-conscious customers. Hannah invited our group into her studio this summer for a painting activity It was a life-changing experience for many of our teens, in some cases, doubling as a therapy session to move beyond their pain. For that 75-minute window, they didn’t have a care in the world. Musicians were also brought in, a keyboardist and violinist, for biochemical-boosting and circadian-rhythm purposes. Last but certainly not least is The Columbus Foundation, one of the top 10 community foundations in the United States, serving thousands of individuals, families, and businesses with their unique funds and planned giving efforts. Hosted by Steve Moore, Chief of Staff at The Columbus Foundation, he shares with our teens what philanthropy is, why it’s important, and how they can even become philanthropists right now using their time (as community volunteers) and talents (as peer-to-peer mentors). Of course, receivers should at some point transition to givers; the countdown is on. Click the link below to view a comprehensive list with background information on LFYO’s 40 Business Partners:
2025
LFYO Community Partners
Click the link below to view the full list of our community partners.
In closing, here’s how you help under-resourced youth dream big in spite of their current challenges or past failures. First, take the time to understand the roots and offshoots of generational poverty from an empathy-assimilation point of view. Place your physiological self in their physical shoes. The complexities of economic distress are multifaceted and cannot be reduced to a simple explanation Its branches extend far and wide, including but not limited to structural barriers, psychological disorders, physical disabilities, societal biases, nutritional deficiencies, relational hardships, educational setbacks, and spiritual hangups. Second, assist high-need students in compiling an ownership checklist of synonyms and catchphrases that clarify and crystallize what it means to dream big. Among others, they include “thinking outside the box,” “challenging the status quo,” “defying the odds,” “chasing limitless possibilities,” “reaching for the stars,” “aiming high,” “setting bodacious goals,” “having a driving ambition,” “thinking big and bold,” “aspiring for great things,” and my favorite, “never settling for less” when more is available. More progress. More success. More happiness. What is an ownership checklist? This to-do list or schedule of activities can place students in the driver’s seat, where they’re in control of their respective dream — as they imagine it. In effect, this list holds students accountable for their growth gains in thought, word, and deed. Third, provide vulnerable youth with unforgettable field trips and life-changing experiences that can enlarge their possibility filter. In this article, I’ve shared a working template that you can follow or modify to your satisfaction. Let’s move out so they can move up!
Letters from LFYO Business Partners
Ascend Advisory Group
Tony Reilly
CEO
Hamilton Parker
Laura Wagner
Director of Human Resources
Schottenstein Real Estate Group
Kerri Ward
Director of Corporate Marketing & Communications
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