WEDIG PA:
Collaboration with Community Partners
BY MARY CATHERINE RELJAC
FR AN KLI N R EG IO NAL NE WS
ranklin Regional
T
he Westmoreland Economic
Development Initiative for
Growth (WEDIG PA)’s mission
is to guide communities in
developing and implementing a regional
plan that builds on the strengths of
multiple municipalities to form a region
known for its innovative economic
opportunities, prepared and educated
workforce and quality of life. This year,
Franklin Regional School District joined
Burrell School District, Kiski Area School
District, New Kensington-Arnold School
District, and St. Joseph High School
in Harrison Township as well as Penn
State, government representatives, and
other community partners in WEDIG’s
educational initiatives to plan and
participate in a STEM Symposium.
Support for the WEDIG STEM
Symposium came from the
Westmoreland Economic Development
Initiative for Growth, Google, Penn
State Electro-Optics Center, the Female
Alliance Stem Excellence (FASE), and
Playthings Etc.
With help from a $3000 Google grant,
representatives from WEDIG coordinated
the “Symposium To Elevate My Future,”
or STEM experience, on November
26, 2013. During this event, students,
educators, those in STEM careers, and
community leaders participated in a
videoconference from multiple sites
across the region.
Congressman Keith Rothfus began the
conference by addressing participants
through the online connection at the
Franklin Regional site. Students at
all sites then engaged in discussion
with professionals from Oberg
Industries, Greenberg Traurig, Brayman
Construction Corporation, Alcoa, the
RAND Corporation, Siemens, Carpenters
Local Union #230 and #922, Ariba, and
TransMed Systems, Inc., During the online
conference, industry representatives
talked about their careers and shared the
42 Murrysville
job skills and technical skills necessary for
success. Many industry representatives
highlighted the need for soft skills such
as communication and collaboration
in order to complete tasks in the work
environment. After the videoconference,
students worked in teams at multiple
regional sites to create a Rube Goldberg
contraption. Students shared their work
with other groups from around the
region near the end of the day.
Franklin Regional students who
participated in the WEDIG Symposium
shared their experiences during the
January 2014 school board meeting,
highlighting what they learned by
working together with other students
that they did not know in order
to solve a problem. Dr. Genarro
Piraino, Superintendent of Franklin
Regional shared that WEDIG is, “…
about creating collaboration with
business and industry as well as our
neighboring schools to create more
opportunities for our students.”
Dr. Piraino continued by saying:
“We are at a critical time in Western
Pennsylvania. Fortunately, our region
has been impacted less economically
than other areas of our country due
to our focus on industry, technology,
and manufacturing. However, we have
seen a significant decline in the region
in the number of students in our high
schools. At the same time, we have
many people leaving the workforce for
retirement. Due to these factors and an
increasing demand for skilled laborers,
we now have a dearth of qualified
workers. Our biggest concern from a
regional economic standpoint is this
gap in our workforce. Right now, we
need to prepare kids to be successful in
those workforces in science, technology,
engineering, and manufacturing. We
need to create these opportunities for
our kids because our region depends
on it.”