Chamber Foundation

 

 

The  Chamber Foundation, in partnership with the Cumberland Valley Business Alliance, launched a regional job board in January 2022.  Click here for CVBA Job Board

The new job board allows CVBA members to post job listings for free through the Member Portal.  Members have complete control over the listing's content and can adjust how long it will be available to view.  The user-friendly interface delivers more value to the CVBA membership and is actively promoted to local job applicants through social media, organic web searches, local news outlets, and more.   Instructions on how CVBA members can post are found here

WellSpan Health is the GCCF Workforce Development Sponsor, powering the CVBA Job Board

IceFest is the largest community event in Chambersburg and draws thousands from the region to Downtown Chambersburg. It is organized by three nonprofit organizations: Downtown Chambersburg, Inc; The Downtown Business Council, and The Chambersburg Council for the Arts. Check out icefestpa.com for event information.

Run Your Ice Off 5K (RYIO) is one of the last IceFest events organized by Leadership Franklin County Alumni.  Event proceeds support IceFest, Leadership Franklin County, and several other area nonprofits. Please note that, while every effort will be made to race, in the case of extreme weather, there is always the possibility of the event being canceled for safety.

The 2025 RYIO 5k will be held on Sunday, February 2, 2025.  Registration links will open in late fall 2024.

2024 RYIO AWARD Results

2024 RYIO Overall Results

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Thank You to our 2024 RYIO Sponsors!

Race Sponsor -  Rodney B. Smith Plumbing, Heating & Cooling Inc., Rotary Club of Chambersburg

Mile Marker Sponsors - ACNB Bank, ELM Shoes Inc., Brad Etchberger, CPA,  Keystone Health, Patriot Federal Credit Union

Supporting Sponsors - Abe's Auto Service Inc., Bartlett Tree Experts, Forrester Lincoln, Front Porch Fitness, Grocery Outlet/Chambersburg, Orrstown Bank,  Phoenix Physical Therapy, Rockwell Construction Co. Inc., Starr Insurance, The Advisors at Cornerstone Financial, Volvo Construction Equipment

Sponsors - SEK CPAs & Advisors, The Butcher Shoppe

 

 

Since 1985 over 925 area residents have graduated from the adult and youth Leadership Franklin County (LFC) programs.  LFC Community serves our adult leaders in the county and 2009 LFC expanded with the addition of our LFC Youth program providing more opportunities for leadership skill development to a broader audience.

Designed and delivered by a dedicated base of community volunteer business leaders, our LFC programs provide a unique venue for personal and professional development. LFC steering committees (most members are LFC alumni) deliver these quality programs year after year.  Graduates continue to volunteer all over our county and participate in our active LFC Alumni group.

For more information on the program and application information, visit our website Chambersburg.org/Leadership, or contact Ginny Harriger at gharriger@chambersburg.org

Follow Leadership Franklin County on Facebook or Leadership Franklin County on LinkedIn

 

LFC COMMUNITY

LFC Community is the flagship leadership program with this mission -- “Developing an inclusive continuum of civic leaders engaged in the advancement of the quality of life in Franklin County” Participants are taken through a nine month course where they learn about leadership and their community.

For more information and to apply for the Leadership Franklin County Community program, click here. 

LFC Community is sponsored by F&M Trust.

LFC YOUTH

LFC Youth began in 2009 with the mission "To create a community of young people who are actively engaged in responsible, ethical and effective leadership".

Key curriculum components of LFCY include: The Five Practices of Exemplary Student Leadership: Model the Way, Inspire a Shared Vision, Challenge the Process, Enable Others to Act, Encourage the Heart PLUS learning in public speaking, diversity & inclusion, and service learning in our community.

For more information and to apply for the Leadership Franklin County Youth program, click here.

LFC Youth is sponsored by Wilson College.

 

LFC ALUMNI

LFC Alumni are graduates of our LFC Community program who stay involved in the community long after their class has graduated. LFC Alumni can connect via their LFC Alumni Facebook Group or can learn about other alumni activities by contacting Alumni Committee Chair Angi Quigley at aquigley@sek.com

LFC Alumni want to increase the participation of local professionals in community organizations which will advance the community's quality and growth.  Check out this directory for non-profit, non-paid leadership organization boards and committees in Franklin County.

LFC Alumni also work with the IceFestPa committee hosting the Run Your Ice Off 5k   

Annually, an LFC Alumni of the Year award is given to acknowledge one alumna's accomplishments within the community.

 

Technology Innovation Challenge Grants for Educators

Technology grants for teachers in Franklin County public schools are awarded annually to encourage the innovative use of technology in grades K-12. The Foundation offers the Technology Innovation Challenge Grants to educators in all public school districts thanks to EITC contributions from area businesses.

The 2025 grant applications will be open early January, 2025

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2023 Grants Funded are listed below.

2022 Grants Funded

2021 Grants Funded

Contributing businesses are eligible for Educational Improvement Tax Credits (EITC) through the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED). As an approved Educational Improvement Organization (EIO), the Greater Chambersburg Chamber Foundation partners with area businesses to provide these grant dollars.    Since 1999 the Chamber Foundation has funded over $468,000 in technology grants from this program.

The Foundation grant program is supported through generous EITC funds from Orrstown Bank , Truist , and UPMC.

                  

2023 Technology Innovation Challenge Grant Awards

Novel Engineering: Shippensburg Area School District, Franklin County >Amanda Kirkpatrick

Novel Engineering is an opportunity for students in grades 2-8 to enhance their skills as a reader and writers while also integrating their reading background knowledge and depth of understanding with

the use of STEM technology. Students will read and discuss stories and/or novels and then use a 3D printer to design and create tangible solutions to a problem from the story. Approximately 70 students will be involved in this program initially (grades 2-8).

Challenges:

Novel Engineering will have students enhancing not only their reading and writing skills but their problem-solving skills as well. Identifying problems from the books that the characters face and then designing and creating solutions could help them make connections to how they can do the same when faced with problems in their lives.

This project will provide ways for students to demonstrate their understanding of the knowledge gained from the book as well as provide them an opportunity to

display their thinking using creative and innovative ideas. It will also encourage them to explore and gain skills that involve computer programming, digital design as well as the engineering design process, all skills that are valuable in today’s ever-growing technology-based world.

 

Empowering the Next Generation of Makers: Waynesboro Area School District/Mowrey Elementary, Franklin County>Keith McCray

The goal of the Empowering the Next Generation of Makers is to increase student engagement/achievement in STEM activities by introducing 21st-century technology into the classroom. The project will use Flashforge 3D printers, taking students’ ideas and making them a reality, providing opportunities for students to utilize emerging technology while developing fundamental STEM skills. This project will target approximately 185 Mowrey Elementary students in grades 3-5.

53.01% of students in Mowrey are identified as economically disadvantaged. Learning programming empowers kids. 3D designing and printing puts students in control bringing their ideas into reality and through experimentation builds proficiency in sequencing skills, measurement, problem-solving, logical thinking, communication, and critical thinking. The project also includes professional development and coaching for teachers.

To Mars and Beyond! - 5th Grade Overview: This project will encompass cross-curricular standards (ELA, Physical Science, Earth Science, and STEM) and employ the Design Thinking Process. Students will begin by taking a virtual field trip to Mars using accessmars.withgoogle.com to build background knowledge about the geography, weather, and perils of the red planet. While exploring the planet students will complete a See, Think, and Wonder organizer. The next step is making connections to non-fiction text and reading the article which documents the perils of traversing terrain 77 million miles away. (This is the Empathize step in the DTP). The students will be recording their connections citing evidence from their virtual field trip. Students then watch a news report on the Artemis missions - which are the precursor missions to colonizing the moon and ultimately sending an astronaut to Mars - to build background knowledge on the dangers of the trip itself and identify the engineering dilemmas of constructing a vehicle that can make the trip and then explore the terrain of a far-off planet. (This is the Define step in the DTP, where students formulate the question they are trying to answer or the problem they are trying to solve). Students will then begin to research the evolution of space travel and vehicles used to generate different ideas that could be used to help the construction of the next space vehicle. (Ideate step in DTP). After their research, students will diagram their vehicle paying close attention to measurements and details. The students will then transfer their 2-dimensional diagram to a rendered 3D model using TinkerCad. (Prototype step in DTP). Finally, they will print their designs and complete any assembling of their vehicle to ensure its functionality (Test step in DTP). Students then reflect upon their process, their successes, and failures, hypothesize about the probability of their design working and then construct and submit a proposal in a bid to win the contract for the hypothetical construction of their space vehicles.

Simple Tools - 4th Grade Overview: This project will encompass cross-curricular standards (ELA, Physical Sciences, and STEM) and employ the Design Thinking Process. Students will begin with the read-aloud Timeless Thomas which chronicles the inventions of Thomas Edison. During this time, students are focused on the Design Thinking Process that is evident in Edison’s constant reflections and improvements upon his inventions.(Empathize step in the DTP). We will then discuss how some of Edison’s inventions have impacted our lives and what we would like to see invented (Define step in the DTP). Students will then set out to design prospective tools that could be used to make their lives easier/better. They will create scientific diagrams of their inventions using labels and measurements (Ideate step in DTP). The students will then create a 3D model of their invention using TinkerCad and print out their model using the Flashforge printers. (Prototype Step in the DTP). The students will then construct an informative text about their invention and develop a sales pitch that can be presented to other teachers and/or administrators in a mini-shark tank-style activity.

Fossil Folly - 3rd Grade Overview: This project will encompass cross-curricular standards (Writing, Earth Science, Art, and STEM). Students will begin with completing the writing process for a narrative writing piece about a fictional animal. After completing the publishing step, students will construct a scientific drawing of a fossil from their fictional animal. Students will then take their design and create a 3-dimensional model of their diagram, paying close attention to measurements to ensure it would be to scale and designed so that it includes characteristics related to their animal. Students will then print their fossils using the Flashforge 3D printer. Finally, students will present their animal fossils and stories to the class either in person or by recording a short infomercial-style video.

 

Expanding the Boundaries of Learning with VR: Chambersburg Area School District/Chambersburg Senior High School, Franklin County: Melissa Engel-Unruh

SUMMARY:  This program will expand the boundaries of learning by collaborating with core content teachers (history, science, math, English, language) to use Class VR, standalone virtual reality headsets built specifically for classrooms. The headsets will include a student-friendly interface, embedded educational resources, and simple-to-use teacher controls. With these headsets, students can access thousands of educational virtual reality resources and lesson plans that are aligned with state standards in various content areas. These resources include 360-degree photos, 360-degree videos, 3D models, and explorable virtual scenes.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

July 13, 2024

 

Presented by ACNB Bank, Scoop-a-Palooza is a ticketed all-you-can-eat ice cream festival that benefits the Greater Chambersburg Chamber Foundation.  2024 Scoop was held on Saturday, July 13 from 10:30 am-2 pm at Chambersburg Area Senior High School in the CASHS Cafeteria. Participants sampled all the ice cream/ices they liked from a variety of area vendors and voted for their favorites!  Families enjoyed the enhanced Kids' Activity area which also has resources for children, youth, and families.

THANK YOU to businesses and community members who support Scoop. All proceeds benefit educational programs throughout Franklin County funded by the Greater Chambersburg Chamber Foundation.

 

Visit our Scoop website or our Scoop Facebook page to learn about our event

Thank you to our 2024 sponsors:

Presenting Sponsor - ACNB Bank

Triple Scoop Sponsors -  Starr Insurance, The Floor Trader Outlet - Chambersburg, Tommy's Express Car Wash, Volvo Construction Equipment North America, WellSpan Health

Double Scoop Sponsors -   Chick-fil-A Chambersburg, Corning Credit Union, Patriot Federal Credit Union

Single Scoop Sponsors - Chambersburg Noontime Lions, SEK CPAs & Advisors

Baby Scoop Sponsors - Mercy House of Chambersburg, Nicole Scott, Realtor, RE/MAX Realty Agency

 

 

The Community Education Coalition (CEC) Employability was created in 2015 as a workforce development initiative for Franklin County. The coalition defined a vision "To develop a strong community where all individuals have the opportunity to grow and prosper"

Led by Angela Austin of WellSpan and Dr. Michael Doncheski of Penn State Mont Alto, the employability group addresses workforce development needs in our community and brings our business partners and educators together to discuss the development and sustaining ways to improve the overall workforce.

WellSpan Health is the GCCF Workforce Development Sponsor, powering the CVBA Job Board

The Franklin County High School Business Challenge

The Purpose
The Franklin County High School Business Challenge encourages area high school students to create their own fictional, yet profitable and sustainable business plans. This task allows students to use both creative thinking and critical analysis skills in establishing plans for a sustainable enterprise that is socially and environmentally responsible and financially effective.

Plans were evaluated by area business leaders, and finalists are invited to pitch their plans at the Franklin County High School Business Challenge event at the Franklin County Career and Technology Center. Scholarship dollars are awarded to the top three highest-scoring teams. The Franklin County High School Business Challenge allows students and business people to be actively engaged in each other’s worlds.

The Scenario
In today’s world, there is a new market for businesses that are socially responsible, environmentally conscious, and economically viable. The Franklin County High School Business Challenge invites teams of student entrepreneurs to develop and pitch business plans for a sustainable enterprise they believe would meet the criteria, best serve the region and its residents, and be financially successful in Franklin County, Pa.

Each business proposal must address and embrace the principles of triple-bottom-line sustainability: people, planet, and profit. All proposed plans will be evaluated to determine which company could generate the largest and quickest return on investment, create the newest jobs in the region, and operate in a socially impactful and environmentally conscious way.

Judging
Written business plans were evaluated by members of the Chambersburg Chamber Foundation’s Community Education Coalition. Judging criteria will be based on:

Ingenuity shown in the selection of a business and target market
Thoroughness and completeness of the plan
Integration of triple-bottom-line sustainability
Accuracy of the research provided.
Final judging and selection of the Challenge winner will be via oral presentations (pitching of proposals like on the TV show Shark Tank), judged by a panel of local business leaders. Judges will consider teams’ business plans, their overall proposal pitches, and the way students respond to judges’ extemporaneous questions during presentations.

Scholarship prizes were awarded to the top three highest-scoring teams. First place wins $750, second place wins $500 and third place wins $250

Franklin County High School Business Challenge is presented by the CADC and these sponsors:

 

Franklin County High School Business Challenge Winners:

2018: Greencastle-Antrim High School: AssemBuild - Collin Griffin, Matthew Lynerd, Clare Hudak

2017: Greencastle-Antrim High School: Grean Bag - Collin Griffin, Matthew Lynerd, Nick Starkey, Austin Straley, Dylan Starkey