n an ideal world, schools would have the money tofund one-on-one career training for every highschool student.

They would buy seedlings for every kid in the dis-trict, accompanied by lessons from a horticulturist

on how to care for them. Work crews would give a freshcoat of paint to every school that needs it, just so thingswould look nice when school started in the fall.

Turns out, all those things and more are happening inmid-valley schools. They’re just not funded by the state.

As school budgets fluctuate, mid-valley businesses arefilling in the gaps for K-12 education. From helping in theclassroom to donating materials to funding special proj-ects, partnerships between schools and businesses areflourishing in the mid-valley, with results that both ed-ucators and businesspeople rave about.

“Anything you need, they step up,” said Donna Keim, ca-reer learning coordinator at Corvallis High School. “Work-ing at career conventions, fundraisers for sports and fortheater, and the graduation all-night party. Grants you canapply for. We have a very supportive community.”

And the generosity doesn’t stop at writing checks.Some local businesses offer their services in the class-room.

Anissa Arthenayake, community educator with OSUFederal Credit Union, teaches personal finance classes atschools throughout the mid-valley.

A half-credit of personal finance used to be a part of therequired high school curriculum in Oregon, but that re-quirement was removed by the legislature in 1997. Althoughpersonal finance is among the broad array of topics that issupposed to be covered in current social science course-work (other areas include history, civics, geography andeconomics) there is no specific credit requirement for it.

“Some teachers tell me that they feel inadequate toteach it because finance is not their strength,”Arthenayake said. “Or sometimes, I am teaching to stu-dents who have already received education in personal fi-nance, but hearing it from a different voice helps it click.”

OSU Federal provides Arthenayake’s time as well asclassroom handouts for all students, free of charge to any

school that requests it. She said OSU Federal sees this asa service toward improving the community’s financialsoundness.

“The best scenario would be for schools to have a class onpersonal finance,”she said.But since many don’t,Arthenayakespends her days teaching students about credit scores andcheckbook registers. “This is part of our values,” she said.“It’s an important part of giving back to the community.”

Gardening lessonsOSU Federal is not alone in taking its employees’ spe-

cialized knowledge and offering it to local schools.This spring, Hart’s Nursery, a wholesale nursery business

based in Jefferson, offered to send a representative to everyschool in Albany and Jefferson for a science lesson on gar-dening. The nursery also donated seedlings and soil so thatevery child could have a hands-on planting activity and takehome a plant of their own. For high school students, theyfocused their lesson on horticulture as a career field.

“They asked students if they had any idea what some-

one does who works in a greenhouse, and most of themreally didn’t know anything about it,” said Anna Sokolov,business-to-school liaison for Albany Options School.“The kids got really into it. It was wonderful that Hart’stook the initiative on their own to offer this to us.”

It’s providing special activities like that — hands-on ex-periences that schools might not be able to afford on theirown — that make partnerships so beneficial for students.

Nancy Kirks has seen it firsthand when she works withstudents at the Lebanon School District’s “PlantingSeeds of Change” community garden. Kirks, the commu-nity health improvement partnership coordinator forSamaritan Lebanon Community Hospital, says she’swatched students who were at risk gain in skills and con-fidence after working in the school gardens.

“For kids, it’s so important to get outdoors and experi-ence a classroom without walls,” she said. The PlantingSeeds of Change project is a collaboration betweenLebanon schools, Samaritan Health, Oregon State Univer-sity’s Master Gardener program, and many other volun-teers. It’s been studied by communities from as far awayas Africa as a model for garden partnerships, Kirks said.

“When an entire community cares holistically aboutthe child, it makes a difference,” she said.

A day at the fairSome of the most familiar partnerships for schools are the

ones that focus on career-learning job shadows and ap-prenticeships. Hundreds of businessmen and women helpout at annual career fairs and assist at mock interviews.

“These are real professionals who take time out of their dayfor this,” Sokolov said. “After the interview, they go throughstep by step to talk about the student’s resume,their strengthsand weaknesses, even about how they dressed. They mightnot believe their teachers, but when they hear someone elsetell them they wouldn’t get hired if they came to an interviewdressed that way — then all of a sudden they’re listening.”

Businesses also fund sports teams and choir trips, pro-vide grants and donate items. Churches, communitygroups and businesses donate expertise and even plain oldmanual labor for mid-valley schools.

Anissa Arthenayake of OSU Federal, pictured in her office near Oregon State University, teaches personal finance skills at schools all over the mid-valley.Amanda Cowan | Mid-Valley InBusiness

T H E M O N T H LY B U S I N E S S S E C T I O N F O R L I N N A N D B E N T O N C O U N T I E S A N D T H E M I D -W I L L A M E T T E VA L L E Y

w w w.democratherald.com/business • w w w.gazettetimes.com/business August 2012

Businesses share specialized knowledge, skills in schools

SEE INVESTING | A7

Investing in studentsBy JENNIFER ROUSE

I

David Patton | Mid-Valley InBusinessJordyn Taylor-Brown, 9, right, used her brother’s old boots ascontainers to hold tomato plants and Valerie Brown, 8, plant-ed hers in a Tootsie Roll container last spring when Hart’sNursery came to Periwinkle Elementary School in Albany for ascience lesson on gardening.

A Q&A withJoseph BaileyMID-VALLEY INBUSINESS

You hear all the timeabout the importance of net-working to business success— but what if you don’t feelyou have the type of person-ality that’s well-suited to suc-ceed at networking events?

Relax, says Joseph Bailey.Bailey, who teaches leader-ship training at Linn-BentonCommunity College, hasmore than 30 years of expe-rience in training, consulting,facilitation and coaching. Hesays it’s a matter of findinga style of networking thatbest suits your personality.

Mid-Valley InBusinessrecently asked Bailey toshare some networking tipsfor introverts. Here are hisresponses, edited just a bitfor space.

InBusiness: How can intro-verts rise above their naturaltendencies to become suc-cessful networkers?

Joseph Bailey: First andforemost, don’t try to be anextrovert. Itseems thatone of thereasons thatpeople withintroversiontendencieshave suchan aversionto network-ing is anexpectationthat they have to be gregari-ous and extroverted. Play toyour strengths. Go to meet-ings that align with your inter-ests. Find people who havesimilar interests and find outabout them. Who says ithas to be at large events?Ask someone in a businessto have coffee with you, findout about their business.

InBusiness: People whoare terrified of public speak-ing often are advised to pic-ture their audiences in theirunderwear. Is there similaradvice that might be usefulfor a shy networker?

Bailey: There is a distinc-tion between introversionand shyness. (Shyness isaversion to social interactionthat is connected to fear ofnegative judgments andintroversion is a preferencefor quiet, minimally stimulat-ing environments.)

The person who has shytendencies is going to havea much more difficult timeinteracting with people theydon’t know. The bestapproach for this type is tonetwork one-on-one. It isunrealistic to expect some-one with a shyness tenden-cy to go to a traditional meetand greet and be successfulat connecting with others.

Introversion is a differentstory. When I coach peoplehigh in introversion, onething I tell them is that thereare a lot of other introvertsin the room with them — gofind one or two of them. It’sOK to just talk with one per-son for the whole event. Noneed to be the social butter-fly (that works for the gregari-ous extrovert). You cannotice them because theyare standing on the fringeor taking their time goingthrough the food table or nottalking to others. Most peo-ple want to find someone toconnect with at an event —I’ve never met anyone whogoes to a social networkingevent to be alone! By goingover and talking with some-one, you are helping them.

Another suggestion I offer

is that networking is aboutrelationship-building. It isn’tabout closing a sale! A saleof your product may comeabout due to your relation-ship, but people don’t expectto buy something from you atnetworking events. It is aboutgetting to know other people,finding out commonalities,listening to what they haveto say. Now this may soundreally out there, but there area lot of lonely people and byspending some time learningabout them, you help fulfill avery basic human need: tobe connected. In turn, thiscould extend your businessor make a connection that isuseful in the future.

InBusiness: Should a net-worker have a 30-secondelevator speech ready andrehearsed?

Bailey: I’ve never been afan of the 30-second elevatorspeech, maybe because itisn’t something that has everbeen appealing to me, norvery useful. First and fore-most, it is invaluable to havefive or six questions you areready to ask. People like totalk about themselves andthey want to be heard. I thinkbeing prepared with ques-tions works well: What is yourname? Where do you workand what do you do? Howlong have you been there?What brought you into thatline of work? What do youthink of this event? Have youbeen to one of these before?Then be prepared to listenand ask follow-up questions.If a person is responding withone-word or short sentences,then say “thank you” and gotalk to someone else.

Now, it is important tohave things you want to sayabout yourself and yourbusiness. Write down thethree things you want every-one to know about you andyour work. That is important,to have responses to peo-ple’s questions, but not thecanned elevator speechapproach; that is too stilted.

One thing I do coach peo-ple on is to learn from suc-cessful athletes who prac-tice and visualize beforegoing into any match orgame. If someone reallywants to be better at net-working, they need to prac-tice. Practice the questionsin front of a mirror or family.Have someone else take onthe persona of a stranger. Ithink people just assumethat they should be good atnetworking because theyare a human being.Practice, practice, practice.

InBusiness: What’s thepep talk you’d give yourselfright before you take theplunge and make eye con-tact in a crowded room tostart networking?

Bailey: First, your readersneed to know that I havemore introversion than extro-version. I remember that weare all very similar behind ourtitles, education and conven-ient descriptors. I want toknow something meaningfulabout one other person whenI leave the event. I alsoremind myself that I’m therenot just for me personally, butalso representing LBCC.

This question also bringsto mind something my firstmentor told me around 30years ago. He was coachingme about talking in front of agroup and said, “Remember,you already know way morethan anyone else in theroom.” Networking is aboutpeople meeting people andeach person already knowsmore about themselves thananyone else in the room.

Aug. 28: Business Luncheon:“The Future of Healthcare.” Pre-senter: Rick Rebel, licensed ben-efits consultant, Western StatesEmployee Benefit Planning, andBrian Long, certified public ac-countant, AKT. Time: 11 a.m. to 1p.m., Central Willamette Com-munity Credit Union, 7101 SupraDrive S.W., Albany. Cost: $15,chamber members; $20, non-members. Info: Melanie Place,541-812-8652.

Aug. 28: “Authentic Network-ing.”Time: 8 a.m. to noon, Fire-side Room, room CC-211,Calapooia Center, Linn-BentonCommunity College, 6500 Pa-cific Blvd. S.W., Albany. Cost: $79per person, or $69 per person forthree or more from the samecompany. Register Monday andbe entered into a drawing forthe book “Networking for Peo-ple Who Hate Networking.” Info:541-917-4923.

tockholder presen-tations, businessplans and mutualfund pitches don’tsound like typicalsummer activities

for high-school students.But for nearly 150 stu-

dents recently on campus atOregon State University,that’s exactly what they did.

High-schoolers fromaround the state got togetherin July to participate inYoung Entrepreneurs Busi-ness Week.

Leadership training, mockinterviews and etiquetteclasses provided real-life ex-perience. Teenagers workedtogether to form companiesand work on marketing plans.They polished investor pitchesand performed in front ofseasoned professionals, whoprovide positive feedback.

“I’m blown away by thesekids and what they learn,”saidKelly O’Brien,executive direc-tor of Young EntrepreneursBusiness Week. “It’s a fullyimmersive business experi-ence. It’s really far reaching.”

The program is based inSalem, and has been held atOSU since 2008. The effortwas formed because ofgrowing concerns that stu-dents weren’t getting thefinancial education theyneeded in high school.

Three-year programThe program progresses

over three years, with eachyear building upon the last.

First-year students partic-ipate in a business simulationand present mock stockhold-ers a recap of the last 12 quar-ters.They also create businessplans and compete againstother companies to showcasetheir new products and serv-ice. The objective is to con-vince investors their companywould be a good investment.

Second-year students haveassigned roles as junior stockanalysts and pitch mutualfunds. They research and an-alyze two established compa-nies of their choice and pres-ent their findings to judges.

Third-year students re-

search and evaluate the via-bility of a potential business,write a business plan andpitch the concept to a mentor.

“It’s so fun watching kidsget excited about businessenterprises,” said Jim Den-ham, legal counsel for ATIWah Chang in Albany.“What I see is really impres-sive. It’s very encouragingand an uplifting experience.”

Denham volunteered foran afternoon to give mockinterviews.

The mock interviews aresometimes the first timethese teens have experiencetalking to other adults in aprofessional manner.

“It’s a very validating ex-perience,” Denham said.“We have students who arereally impressive people.”

Getting the word outOnly about 10 percent of

the participants in the pro-gram come from the mid-valley.

Troy Coady, the programmanager, said it hasn’t beeneasy to get out the word acrossthe mid-valley. Coady is will-ing to visit schools and makepresentations, but gettinginvited has been a challenge.

“Teachers are pretty jeal-ously guarding their time, asthey should, and don’t wantto make time for someone tocome in and make a presen-tation not in their curricu-lum,” O’Brien said.

But Coady notes that busi-ness skills come in handy forstudents regardless of whatthey end up doing.

“Business skills, leader-

ship skills and communica-tion skills are useful in any-thing they do,” Coady said.“Networking and knowingpeople is really importantand this is a good steppingstone to get there.”

Jennifer Villalobos, anOSU graduate, volunteersto teach the networkingskills and dining etiquettelessons of the week.

Villalobos has been in-volved with the program forfive years.She said OSU’s Stu-dents in Free Enterprise pro-gram got involved and, work-ing with the Austin Entre-preneurship Program,broughtthe program to the Corvalliscampus in 2008.The partner-ship allows for more OSU stu-dent involvement and givesthe high school studentsmore of a true college per-spective as they live inWeatherford Hall. Studentsalso receive college credit.

Villalobos graduated fromOSU with her master’s de-gree in business and re-turned to campus as a vol-unteer in the program.

She said the program isvital as high schools con-tinue to cut back on busi-ness education.

“It gives students an op-portunity to see what thebusiness world is about andthat there is a business side toevery occupation,” Villalo-bos said. “For many of themit is the first time they are ex-posed. They come in over-whelmed and realize they canrun a mini company and startsomething while they are inhigh school. They don’t haveto wait to become entrepre-neurs. It gives them a wholenew world of possibilitiesthey don’t even think about.”

Building a planSuch is the result for

Spenser Wellen, a senior atCrescent Valley High School.

Wellen was enrolled in theprogram three years ago byhis mother. He returned eachyear eager to learn more andhas applied his experienceto start his own business.

“I laid the groundworkwhile at camp,” Wellen said.I got some good advice.”

Music is his hobby andWellen hopes to earn moneyas a disc jockey. This year, hetook advantage of the busi-ness plan exercise and madehis own, complete with aPowerPoint presentation, toestablish DJ Suspense, pro-viding music for parties,weddings and events.

Wellen now has a plan inplace that may put himthrough college.

“It’s pretty impressive,”said Gloria Sica, owner ofFulcrum Drive, a Philomathcompany that helps guideOregon entrepreneurs. Sicasat on a panel that made thelife and death decisions aboutstudents’ financial reviews.

“I was surprised that kidsat this point in their life wouldput a week of their summerdoing business,” Sica said.

Sica was part of the judg-ing for second-year studentsrepresenting junior stockanalysts and pitching mu-tual funds. Students pre-sented their findings, thenrecommend to buy, hold orsell based on their analysis.

“Considering the timethey’d been working on theirpresentations, they were veryimpressive,” Sica said. “Youcould tell they worked hardand learned a lot. They werevery confident in front of thesix of us in the classroom.”

Sica said regardless ofwhat future these studentsseek, they take with themfundamental business skillsand character-building ex-perience gained underdeadline and stress.

And that’s the whole idea,O’Brien said.

“What we are trying to dois support the future gener-ation of business leaders inthe state,” O’Brien said. “Weare able to, hopefully, primethe pump for the future ofOregon’s prosperity.”

Maria L. Kirkpatrick is afreelance writer based inCorvallis.

Provided photoSpenser Wellen, second from left, and Jackson Wellen, right, both students at Crescent Valley High School, were two of about 150high schoolers from around the state who participated in Young Entrepreneurs Business Week in July. With them are AlexandraDaly, left, of St. Mary’s Academy in Portland, and Michelle Vollmuller of Tigard High School.

Program gives high schoolers opportunities to become professionalsStudents learn the biz

Volunteers are neededevery year to fill variouspositions during theweek. Interested profes-sionals can find informa-tion online at www.yebw.org. Parents also canvisit the site and sign uptheir high school student.

Next year, the pro-gram will be in CorvallisAug. 4-10. Cost is $695with scholarships avail-able. Much of theexpense is offset bysupporting businesses.

FYI

SBy MARIA KIRKPATRICK

DAT E B O O K

August 2012MID-VALLEY InBusinessA6

Networking tipsfor the introvert

Joseph Bailey

Unemployment Rate

U.S. Oregon Linn Co.Benton Co.

16%14%12%10%

8%6%4%2%

0

Source: Oregon Employment Department Note: Data are seasonally adjusted.

July 2011 July 2012June 2012

9.6

6.8

11.8

8.2 8.56.1

10.88.3 8.7

6.3

11.19.1

Mid-Valley Residential ReportUnits sold Units sold Average Averagepast year past year sales prices sales priceJuly 2012 July 2011 July 2012 July 2011

Albany 433 430 156,226 150,764N. Albany 110 115 225,486 242,305Brownsville 19 23 197,184 153,636Corvallis 525 466 291,740 275,707

Units sold Units sold Average Averagepast year past year sales prices sales priceJuly 2012 July 2011 July 2012 July 2011

Independence 66 48 147,822 220,115Jefferson 45 57 170,850 201,679Lebanon 281 288 138,109 137,109Philomath 81 73 234,498 251,152Sweet Home 129 135 128,219 113,430

Source: Willamette Valley Multiple Listing Service

Source: Oregon Employment Department July ’12 June ’12 July ’11 June ’12 July ’11

July ’12 June ’12 July ’11 June ’12 July ’11

Change fromCorvallis MSA (Benton County) Nonfarm Payroll Employment

Source: Oregon Employment Department Change fromLinn County Nonfarm Payroll Employment

Residential Average Sales Price by Area

Thou

sand

s

2008 2009 2010 2011 2012

299,687

151,752

273,580

325300275250225200175150125

Source: Willamette Valley Multiple Listing Service

Mining, logging and construction 1,220 1,160 1,230 60 -10Manufacturing 3,220 3,180 3,320 40 -100Trade, transportation and utilities 4,470 4,410 4,330 60 140Information 790 780 790 10 0Financial activities 1,400 1,380 1,400 20 0Professional and business services 3,870 3,800 3,790 70 80Educational and health services 5,720 5,760 5,620 -40 100Leisure and hospitality 3,020 3,210 3,260 -190 -240Other services 1,190 1,210 1,180 -20 10Federal government 610 590 640 20 -30State government 8,330 10,260 7,880 -1,930 450Local government 2,740 2,930 2,480 -190 260

Total nonfarm payroll employment 36,580 38,670 35,920 -2,090 660

Mining, logging and construction 2,150 2,050 2,310 100 -160Manufacturing 6,570 6,540 6,820 30 -250Trade, transportation and utilities 8,590 8,510 8,410 80 180Information 360 360 380 0 -20Financial activities 1,280 1,260 1,260 20 20Professional and business services 3,100 3,030 3,050 70 50Educational and health services 4,650 4,860 4,630 -210 20Leisure and hospitality 3,030 3,060 3,080 -30 -50Other services 1,300 1,310 1,290 -10 10Federal government 340 330 350 10 -10State government 1,210 1,200 1,240 10 -30Local government 4,500 5,730 4,530 -1,230 -30

Total nonfarm payroll employment 37,080 38,240 37,350 -1,160 -270

Benton CountyLinn County

BUSINESS DATA

191,847

The numbers: TheUniversity of Oregon Index ofEconomic Indicators slipped0.3 percent in June to 91.5(1997 = 100), its first declinesince November 2011.

The good news: Not toomuch in June, said thereport’s author, Timothy Duyof the University of OregonDepartment of Economics. Ofthe seven components in theindex, only the weight-dis-tance tax, a measure of truck-ing activity, posted even amodest increase.

The bad news: All theother components in theindex were either flat orweaker, including initialunemployment claims,employment service payrolls(mostly temporary hiring),residential building permits,U.S. consumer sentiment,new orders for capital goodsand the interest rate spread.

The upshot: Duy said thenumbers continue to suggestcontinued growth in Oregon,“albeit at a rate below whatwould normally be associatedwith expansion.”

Another view: Duy’s otherindex, the Oregon Measure of

Economic Activity, slipped tominus 0.45 in June fromMay’s plus 0.27 mark. (Ameasure of zero correspondsto the average growth rate forthe period, in this case from1990 to the present. A num-ber above zero indicates that

the economy is growing at anabove-average rate.) Duynoted that growth “shouldcontinue to be supported bythe national economy, buthere again activity remainsmuted relative to that neces-sary to rapidly reduce theunemployment risk.” In addi-tion, he said, “it remainsimportant to monitor risks tothe forecast,” including acooling economy in China,the continuing Europeanfinancial crisis, and uncer-tainty about domestic fiscalpolicy in 2013. “In short,” heconcluded, “while slow butsteady growth remains thebaseline scenario, thereappear to be more downsidethan upside risks at themoment.”

To learn more: Check outthe full report at the websitehttp://pages.uoregon.edu/oefweb/

Index, 1997 = 10092

91

90

89

88

87

86

U O I N D E X O F EC O N O M I C I N D I CATO R S

Jan.-12 Feb.-12 March-12 April-12 May-12 June-12

News & NotesSpeech therapists at Samari-

tan Physical Rehabilitation inCorvallis have a new way to iden-tify problems with swallowing.With fiberoptic endoscopic evalu-ation, a tiny fiberoptic scope is in-serted into the nose and posi-tioned so the back of the throatcan be viewed on a monitor. Thistest is commonly done on pa-tients who have suffered a stroke;have a neurodegenerative dis-ease, pneumonia, head and/orneck cancers, traumatic brain in-juries or a chronic cough; or ex-perience coughing while eating.

With this tool, speech thera-pists can find out if food is goinginto the airway instead of thestomach (aspiration); whichparts of the mouth and throatmay not be working well; whichkinds of food are safest for thepatient to swallow; and if certainpositions or strategies help thepatient swallow better.

For more information, call 541-768-5157.

Officers & DirectorsGrace Center for Adult Day

Services has welcomed DeannaDyksterhuis to its board of di-rectors.

Dyksterhuisand her hus-band farmed1,500 acres ofstrawberriessouth of Cor-vallis beforeretiring in2003. Deannajoined theboard of GraceCenter afterlosing her husband toAlzheimer’s dementia. She val-ues the center’s services to theelderly and disabled as a help tocaregivers as well.

People on the MoveEllen Kraus

has joinedColdwellBanker ValleyBrokers inCorvallis.

She can bereached at541-224-3590.

Lauren Grayis the newestphysician at The Corvallis ClinicPhilomath Family Medicine.Gray joins Bruce Byram, ShawnFoley and Lorri Hendon.

She recently completed herresidency and internship in fam-ily medicine at the University ofColorado Health Science Center

in Denver,where she waschief resident.She receivedher medicaldegree in2009 fromTexas Collegeof OsteopathicMedicine inFort Worth,and wasnamed outstanding student infamily medicine in 2009. She iscertified by the American Boardof Family Medicine.

Gray is accepting new patients.To schedule an appointment, call541-929-2922.

Keller Williams Realty has an-nounced theaddition of anew agent toits Albanybranch: MattJunge. Origi-nally fromMadras, Jungehas been inthe WillametteValley for 12years and hassix years of real estate experi-ence. His specialties include resi-dential, acreage, farm/ranch,multi-family, and investmentproperties.

Junge has joined the AndreaBeem Team as a buyer’s special-ist and can be reached at 541-760-9071 or matt@an-dreabeem.com.

Longtime Albany accountingfirm Koontz & Perdue P.C., at 920Elm St., has added a third nameto its marquis and is now Koontz,Perdue, Blasquez & Co. P.C.

The new name became officialon July 1. Debbie Blasquez, CPA,who has been a minor owner ofthe firm for 11 years, is now half-owner with Richard D. Perdue,CPA. They will share the com-pany name with retired FredKoontz, who maintains the roleof shareholder emeritus andcontinues to be available toclients. The firm opened in 1954and has operated under variousnames in Albany for 60 years.

Powell Construction in Cor-vallis recently welcomed OscarMartinez to its team of designand remodeling professionals.

Martinez is a craftsman with 20years of carpentry experience.From framing to finish carpentry,he takes pride in his work.

Powell Construction is a full-service design/build companyestablished in 1990 and special-izing in kitchen/bath remodelingand additions.

MOVERS&SHAKERS

Deanna

Dyksterhuis

Ellen Kraus

Lauren Gray

For the last several years, hundreds of community mem-bers have participated in Serve INC, a work day in whichgiant teams of service-minded folks spend a weekendpainting and beautifying entire schools in Albany and Jef-ferson. Without the Serve INC effort, the school paintingjobs would simply sit on a list of deferred projects. In a writ-ten statement thanking the organizers of Serve INC, super-intendent Maria Delapoer estimated the value of theircontributions in 2012 alone at $50,000.

Business representatives say that while these partner-ships may not provide any immediate financial payback,they are valuable because they create a stable, healthy com-munity — and that’s an environment that’s beneficial to anybusiness’ bottom line.

“School partnerships are about developing a connectionto the community,” Kirks said. “It’s letting kids know thatit’s not just the school, it’s the entire community that isthere to support them.”

Jennifer Rouse is a freelance writer who lives in Albany.

InvestingContinued from page A5

August 2012 MID-VALLEY InBusiness A7

Matt Junge