Randolph (1994) describes a resource directory used in Manitowoc County, Wisconsin:
"The Manitowoc County Resource Directory, a year after its introduction, has already demonstrated its value in increasing communication between schools and local business.
Compiled by the school districts of Manitowoc County in collaboration with Lakeshore Technical College and the Manitowoc-Two Rivers Area Chamber of Commerce, the Directory details how the county's businesses and industries are set to assist the schools.
The process of gathering the information began with a straightforward questionnaire. The businesses were asked for a brief description of the work they do and for the name of a contact person. Then they were asked to provide simple yes or no responses regarding their willingness to provide the following resources: speakers, videos, tours, job-shadowing opportunities for students and/or teachers, hands-on activities for students and/or teachers, internships, co-op/work experiences, community service, mentoring, and youth apprenticeship. They also were asked if they could accommodate special-needs and at-risk students. Space was provided for additional comments.
The questionnaire, along with a cover letter explaining the goals and importance of the Directory, was sent to every company in the county.
How difficult was it to persuade businesses to come forward and announce what they are willing to do for education? 'Not hard at all,' says Pat Kolb, Tech Prep Specialist at Lakeshore Technical College. 'The first mailing received a 50-percent response, and follow-up calls were very effective. It wasn't long before word of mouth got around and businesses started calling us wanting to be included.'
LVECs in the local school districts collected the questionnaires, and the final volume was assembled by Ed Prigge, president of INFOsource Inc., a marketing information company in Manitowoc. The businesses are listed alphabetically under the appropriate career cluster area (health-related, sales and marketing, agribusiness, finance, service/government, and manufacturing). A special section for at-risk teachers was recently added.
Also a member of the Business/Education Committee in the Manitowoc School District, Prigge's involvement clearly indicates how this project has brought businesses and schools closer together. 'Cooperation was fantastic,' says Kolb. 'It was a joint effort...a big connecting activity for us.'
The result is a very comprehensive volume, a testament to the business sector's vital interest in quality education. Distributed to every school in the country, the directory's success is documented by log sheets that record how it is used and encourage comments from users--a group which includes both teachers and students.
A similar directory was recently finished for Sheboygan County, and Kolb hopes to see all counties within the Lakeshore Technical College/K-12 Public School District Consortium follow suit. Also planned are computer versions of the directory to facilitate updating and to encourage information sharing across county lines." (p. 7)
