Craig Howell FINANCIAL LESSON – Zachary White, at right, Hancock County agent with WVU Extension, provided a discussion on the importance of budgeting during Tuesday's Dr. Barbara A. Matey High School Business Symposium, organized by the Weirton Area Chamber of Commerce.

WEIRTON — More than 80 area high school juniors got a chance to step into the business world Tuesday with help from the Weirton Area Chamber of Commerce.

The chamber welcomed students from Brooke, Madonna, Oak Glen, Weir, Indian Creek and Steubenville high schools to the annual Dr. Barbara A. Matey High School Business Symposium, held at Undo’s in Weirton.

“Yesterday, you were all students in high school,” said Weirton Chamber President Brenda Mull in welcoming the students. “Today is your first day on the job.”

Organized through the chamber’s Education Committee, the symposium offers lessons on a variety of topics that may be beneficial to students once they enter the workforce and in their everyday lives.

Those include problem solving, budgeting, branding and marketing, product development, as well as tips on building a resume and conducting a job interview.

As part of the day’s activities, students were divided into groups incorporating a mix of students from each participating school, with a volunteer facilitator from the business community providing oversight and advice while keeping them on task.

“This is how jobs work in the real world,” Mull said, while also promising some fun during the day.

Presentations included Randy Kowalczyk of Real Workforce Evolution, who discussed the importance of problem solving in the workplace; Zachary White of the WVU Extension in Hancock County, who showcased budgeting by providing real-life examples of jobs, salaries and potential expenses; and Gabe D’Ortenzio of WVU Medicine Weirton Medical Center, who explained how to build a resume. D’Ortenzio was assisted by Sarah Cale Doughty of the Top of West Virginia Convention and Visitors Bureau and Nate Kurty of Bulldog Rack Co., who provided examples of both good and bad job interviews.

Rachel Keeney, executive director of the Top of West Virginia Convention and Visitors Bureau, offered lessons on building a brand and marketing for business.

The event culminated with students using their new skills to design, develop and test a product — an egg-catching device — in a competition that included a marketing component. The group with the most successful product at the lowest cost was declared the winner, with members receiving a framed dollar bill provided by Hancock County Savings Bank.

The symposium is organized each year through the chamber’s Education Committee and is named in honor of Barbara Matey, a former chair of the committee who spent many years volunteering in the community in addition to her experience as an educator and businessperson.

The program was named for Matey following her death in 2013.

Those assisting throughout the day included Joe Barnabei, Josh Benyo, Colleen Burgess, Devin Delatore, Gabe D’Ortenzio, Sarah Cale Doughty, Jason Exner, Lexus Ficca, Ashley Foltz, Kal Gupta, Rachel Keeney, Randy Kowalczyk, Nate Kurty, Steven Lewis, Joe Paolo, DeeAnn Pulliam, Rich Romanosky, Carole Scheerbaum, Dennis Thorn, Tony Viola and Zachary White.

Financial support was provided by Blue Ribbon Body Shop; the Business Development Corp. of the Northern Panhandle; Cedar One Realty; Weirton Councilman Tim Connell; Crown Cork and Seal; D’Anniballe and Company Inc.; Hancock County Savings Bank; JJ Guida Airport Realty; James White Construction; Lorrie Raymond – Harvey Goodman Realty; Mountaineer Casino and Resort; Studio L; Tenaska/Tri-State CCS; the Weirton Board of Realtors; WVU Medicine Weirton Medical Center and West Virginia Northern Community College.