WILKES-BARRE, PA – Tenth grade students in the prestigious Wilkes-Barre Area Business Academy, an application-based program offering college and career preparation through immersion in a business community of peers, teachers and mentors, recently served as Marketing Managers for the Commission on Economic Opportunity’s (CEO) Annual Thanksgiving Project.

This year marked the 44th Annual Thanksgiving Project — the oldest and largest holiday program in northeastern Pennsylvania providing food for elderly and families of Luzerne and Wyoming Counties. To celebrate the return of in-person distribution, the Luzerne County Transportation Authority and Hazleton Public Transit offered free rides for county residents to Mohegan Sun Arena on November 17th. Over 10,000 families were served.

"The help and support provided by the Business Academy students is exactly what CEO and our Thanksgiving Project are all about - people helping people!  We're grateful for the student and faculty expertise," said Debbie Taylor, CEO's Corporate and Community Relations
Manager.

In an effort to offer hands-on, community-based learning, students in Dr. Renee Pizzella’s Marketing Management class reached out to partner with the CEO to offer marketing design services for the Thanksgiving Project. Students were challenged to create fliers, in both English and Spanish to promote this year’s event. 

Jayden Rivera’s English version flier was chosen, as was Gian Tavarez-Rodriguez’s Spanish version flier for distribution throughout Luzerne and Wyoming counties. 

The mission of the Wilkes-Barre Area Business Academy is to provide students with an integrated program of academic subjects and competitive business practices, preparing them for post-secondary education or entering the workforce with competitive business skills. This immersive program includes hands-on learning experiences focused on community engagement and building business relationships.

The Wilkes-Barre Area Business Academy is under the guidance of Mr. Hal Gabriel, Principal of Special Programs, and the instruction of Mr. Mike Day, Mr. Mitchell Marcks, and Dr. Renee Pizzella.

Those interested in offering Business Academy students a partnership opportunity are asked to contact [email protected].