Grit Ohio

GRIT Days of Learning

Transforming Communities with GRIT
February 26-27th, 2025

The Grand Resort
Warren, OH

Registration is now open!

Unleash your potential at GRIT Days of Learning, where Appalachian Ohio’s brightest minds gather to ignite innovation, exchange bold ideas, and address real-world challenges. Immerse yourself in a dynamic experience filled with expert-led sessions, interactive workshops, and inspiring connections designed to fuel your growth and amplify your impact. Together, let’s shape the future of our communities!

Who should attend:

  • Agencies working with adults and students on workforce training, internships and job placement
  • K-12 educators and/or counselors focused on careers, career placement
  • Chambers of Commerce / Economic Development from southern Ohio
  • Workforce training providers serving southern Ohio
  • Case managers or team leads of people working with special populations of adults such as treatment, courts, incarceration, and others
  • People in the community, churches, volunteers, school boards, county commissioners, and others

Hotel Options:

To make hotel reservations and receive group rate call and book under the GRIT Conference block.

Featuring Keynote Speaker: Darrell “Coach D” Andrews

BIO

Darrell “Coach D” Andrews is an internationally recognized workforce development consultant, strategist, and motivator. He is the President and Chief Passion Officer of Darrell Andrews, LLC and Associates. For the past two decades, he and his team of experts have provided consulting, motivational training, coaching, and speeches that enhance innovation at workforce development agencies and education organizations.

Coach D is regularly invited to speak at workforce development, education, corporate, and non-profit events throughout the United States, Canada, and the Caribbean. He is the author of several books, including “How To Find Your Passion And Make A Living At It,” “The Purpose Living Teen-A Teen’s Guide To Living Your Dreams,” and “Reinvention-The Pathway To Job Search Success.” His college success story, “5 Garbage Bags and a Dream,” was one of the top stories in the New York Times best seller-Chicken Soup for the African American Soul. He is writing two books, “The Self Care Movement” and “Post-Pandemic Leadership.”

Darrell Andrews LLC and Associate are former WIA Youth and Adult Providers. His HYPE (Helping Youth Pursue Excellence) Program, which had one of the highest dropout prevention and graduation rates of all WIA providers in the USA, and his adult Job Readiness Program BASIC (Building and Sustaining Internal Change), which had one of the highest job placement and retention rates in the USA, are testament to his expertise and the effectiveness of his methods.

He has been a keynote speaker at countless national, state, and local conferences. Over the past three years, due to the pandemic, he and his team have become a global force in training, consulting, and coaching systems by providing innovative solutions and impactful motivation.

Most importantly, he has been happily married for 30 years and is the proud father of four exceptional children: Darrell Jr., Sophia, Alexander, and Abigail.

Agenda [HIDDEN]

Wednesday (Day 1)

8:30 Arrival & Registration – (Collins Center Lobby)

9:00 Pre Conference

12:00 Lunch - Mains Rotunda (Verne Riffe Center) / Registration (Collins Center Lobby)

1:00 Main Session (Welcome/Keynote: Denise Reading) - Mains Rotunda (Verne Riffe Center) (Handout: Leap-Forward-KeyNote-GRIT-2024.pdf)

2:00 Deep Dive Session

Details
EDUCATION
LEADERSHIP
Advocacy for WORKFORCE and ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

4:00 Hotel Check-In / Free Time

5:00 Happy Hour / Dinner

  • Happy Hour and Dinner to follow, with each attendee responsible for their meal/drinks.
  • The Armory Smoke House
    920 Vernon St, Ironton, OH 45638
  • https://www.thearmorysmokehouse.com/

Thursday (Day 2)

8:00 Arrival/breakfast & Registration - (Collins Center Lobby)

8:30 Keynote (Eric Leach) - Bowman Auditorium (Collins Center) (Handout: GRIT-PowerPoint_EricLeach.pdf)

9:30 Breakout 1

Descriptions
YOUTH
  • Building a Business Advisory Council that is Engaged with the Community
  • Building Bridges to Careers & Pickaway-Ross Career Technical Center
  • Classroom 258 (Verne Riffe Center) 
  • Handouts:
ADULT
ECONOMIC/BUSINESS
PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT

10:30 Breakout 2

Descriptions
YOUTH
  • Speed Speakers
    • Grants (ODE, Graham Wood)
    • Implementing Credentials in a home school (George Bilokonsky)
    • Mental Health Break Ideas (Karen Vadino)
  • Classroom 258 (Verne Riffe Center) 
  • Handouts:
ADULT
ECONOMIC/BUSINESS
PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT

11:30 Lunch

12:30 Keynote (State Representative Jay Edwards) - Mains Rotunda (Verne Riffe Center)

1:30 Breakout 3

Descriptions
YOUTH
  • Creative designs for Youth Workforce Programs (Shaelynn Ballard Ashtabula CTC, Sandy Mers, & Dan Leffingwell)
  • Classroom 254 (Verne Rifvfe Center)
ADULT
ECONOMIC/BUSINESS
  • Why your county needs an entrepreneurial ecosystem and how to build one (Amanda Hedrick - Panel Facilitator, Josh Lawson - Kricker HUB, Kelly Biggar - Young Entrepreneurs Institute, Kelly Gordon - Women's Business Center, Melanie Sherman - OSU)
  • Lecture D (Collins Center) 
PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT

2:30 Awards & Closing - Bowman Auditorium (Collins Center)


Map [HIDDEN]

Ohio University Southern:

Evaluation [HIDDEN]

Help make this event better!

Link: https://forms.office.com/r/7KwqEgc68J

Contact

Have questions?

Email Sarah Redoutey at: sarahr@futureplans.org.