On June 10, RevenFlo welcomed teachers and administration from Rock Hill’s School District to learn more about what it takes to make a great leader, and how our school system can help raise leaders of the community. These educators were brought in as part of the Knowledge Park Innovation Grant, which helps to support the Rock Hill Talent Pipeline Program.
Our guests spoke with RevenFlo’s Chance Heflin and with other local businesses in Knowledge Park to understand more about the hiring process and what today’s entrepreneurs look for in potential employees and long-term staff. Some of the abilities and “soft skills” cited by Heflin as valuable were skill proficiency, specialization, enthusiasm to learn, collaboration with others, and a genuine passion for the work. The participants agreed—today’s necessary skills encompass more than being technologically savvy and being able to problem solve.
The group was also asked to participate in the Marshmallow Challenge, a brief, yet revealing, exercise in teamwork, innovation, and creative problem solving. The challenge involves building a marshmallow and raw spaghetti structure using only minimal “tools” (i.e. one yard each of tape and string). If you catch up with RevenFlo on a regular basis, you’ll be familiar with last year’s Marshmallow Challenge, involving YouLead’s student leadership group.
The experience was rewarding for both Rock Hill Schools and RevenFlo. By fostering creativity and motivation in our educators and leaders today, we can hope to inspire the same perseverance and entrepreneurial spirit in tomorrow’s leaders. Initiatives like the Talent Pipeline and larger Knowledge Park Innovation Initiative can help further our community’s goals and instill in our youth the desire to make the community, and the world, a better place.