The first stop on the trip was a tour of the GreenStone building in East Lansing, Michigan home to GreenStone Farm Credit Services. DHS students and teachers also listened to a presentation by a representative from GreenStone Farm Credit Services explain the work and the numerous exciting careers in the insurance industry. Many attendees were surprised by the fact that agriculture is the second most important industry in the economy of the state of Michigan. Additionally, students and teachers gained great insight into the expectations of employers in the "real" world of work. High levels of literacy - reading and writing - along with other forms of communication, honesty, integrity, and teamwork all rank as some of the important qualities people need to have in this competitive line of work.
The next stop was to downtown Lansing, Michigan where students and teachers had the awesome opportunity to see firsthand the rennovated Ottawa Power Station headquarters of Accident Fund. The tour was a great chance to experience an architectural wonder. The interior of the building was given a significant facelift to meet the demands of a modern business while preserving the unique details of a 1930s Art Deco style facility. Several students commented on how cool the building looked along with the touches of art and general layout of the interior. A physical fitness center complete with onsite specialist clearly illustrates the commitment Accident Fund has to the well being of employees. This feature along with others such as the amount of natural lighting, comfort of chairs, and communal space helped to show students the importance of developing employee happiness and productivity.
The last stop of the tour was in the heart of Old Town, Lansing. Students were given a walking tour of a nationally recognized downtown. Brittany Hoszkiw of the Old Town Commercial Association introduced students and teachers to several businesses located in Old Town such as Such Video, Message Makers, Red Head Design Studio (designer of this Web site!), and others. Along with investigating these fine businesses, Britanny regaled people with tales of the colorful history of Old Town. At the end of the tour, students and teachers did a bit of shopping at an antique store along with purchasing ice cream from the Arctic Corner stand. Many students are very excited at the prospect of holding Riverbash in Old Town. They also never realized how cutting edge Lansing really is. The DeWitt Creativity Group would like to thank Rich Howard of LEAP, Brittany, GreenStone Farm Credit Services, Such Video, Message Makers, and Red Head Design Studio for making this a great day.