WCACC June E-Newsletter

June Issue

Watch our video submission for the 2024 Chamber of the Year award:

The Wayne County Area Chamber of Commerce hosted the 2025 Senior Celebration at the First Bank Richmond Expo Hall. The event recognized high school seniors from across the county who demonstrated exceptional school attendance as part of the Chamber’s Every Day Counts program.

To qualify for the celebration, students had to meet the following criteria:

• No more than three excused absences throughout the school year
• Doctor’s appointments excused only if the student returned to school the same day
• No more than two tardies per semester
• On track to graduate with a high school diploma

In addition to the Senior Celebration, the Every Day Counts program recognized outstanding student attendance with exciting rewards at each of Wayne County’s six schools. One elementary student received a scooter, a middle school student an electric scooter, and a high school student tickets to the Cincinnati Zoo.

Consistent attendance is a cornerstone of long-term success, and we’re proud to celebrate the students who show up, stay committed, and invest in their future one day at a time.

This year marked the first-ever partnership between the Wayne County Area Chamber of Commerce and Junior Achievement of East Central Indiana for the 6th Grade Reality Store, and it was a huge success!

In previous years, the event was hosted separately at each school. But in 2025, we brought all six Wayne County middle schools together under one roof at the First Bank Expo Hall to accommodate more than 600 sixth-grade students across two sessions.

With the help of 40+ volunteers representing a wide range of local businesses and industries, students experienced a hands-on simulation of real-life financial responsibilities. After completing a career interest survey, each student was assigned a career and given the average monthly salary for that profession. They then rotated through interactive stations ranging from housing and insurance to transportation and entertainment making decisions based on real-world costs.

The Reality Store gives students an early look at the importance of budgeting, career planning, and financial literacy. We’re proud to play a role in helping them build a strong foundation for their futures.