Note: This column appears in the March 2023 edition of Great Seal Living.

The partnership between education and business has always been important - but as we continue to struggle to find workers to staff all the open positions in Ross County, the importance is stressed even more.

At the Chillicothe Ross Chamber of Commerce, we've always been interested in making the connection stronger. Saturday marked a milestone for one such link.

On Jan. 28, 2010, the Chamber board approved then-CEO Marvin Jones' idea to bring the Leader in Me program to Chillicothe. Two months later, the Chamber rolled it out to the community, and by August, staff at Allen Elementary began introducing the program to students.

The program, formed by famed leadership expert Steven Covey's "7 Habits of Highly Effective People," focuses on several aspects. The overarching principle is to develop the whole person and to lead yourself first.

The record is easy to follow from there. Chillicothe City Schools became the first local district to implement Leader in Me districtwide, then won awards for its use in 2016 and 2018. It's spread to Paint Valley and other school districts throughout the region.

Recognition is great, but the lasting effects of Leader in Me are much more critical. Student advocacy and leadership rise, and we produce better, well-rounded young people who display empathy and respect.

We're teaching leadership to every student, creating a culture of student empowerment, and aligning our systems to drive academic results. 

Does it work? Let me give you some real-world experience - through the deeds, words, and actions of my three CCSD students. 

When my son, now 12, was in Kindergarten, he was already learning about being proactive and thinking win-win. His leadership skills are evident now, but when he started saying, "We need to have a plan for ..." I knew he was paying attention to the lessons.

When my 9-year-old daughter sings a version of Adele's "Rolling in the Deep," with changed lyrics to include the 7 Habits, I know the program has some stickiness. 

My first-grader comes home with ways she can work first, then play. She's also trying to learn how to listen before she talks. (Hey, some of these things take time, even for adults.)

It's a simple way to help our children become more responsible and independent and work through other values and efforts to make better and more productive young people.

The timing of Leader in Me couldn't have been more perfect. The Chillicothe schools suffered an identity crisis after some tough years. New leadership wanted to change the culture for students, parents, staff, and partners. It resulted in deeper partnerships with Adena Health System and Glatfelter, which owned the Chillicothe paper mills then. 

Those partnerships have been strengthened through time and create other opportunities to grow students. Our businesses are more plugged in with our schools, and that relationship is thriving.

Thirteen years of Leader in Me have proven one thing. When we invest in our young people, the investment pays back with improved behavior and academics, producing better Ross Countians for our workplaces and organizations.

A community of productive residents with a skillset and genuine interest and passion for what they do is what we seek in Ross County. It's also the thing that will sustain us for decades to come. 

(Mike Throne is the president and CEO of the Chillicothe Ross Chamber of Commerce and the co-host of the Feels Like Home local podcast.)