Meridian Public School District students showcased their innovation, creativity and business acumen Wednesday as the top nine teams in the district competed in the FlexFactor District Competition at Meridian Community College’s Riley Workforce Development Center.

 

The competition, which tasked students with designing a product, developing a marketing plan, calculating manufacturing costs and profit margins and identifying target audiences, has been ongoing in the district since early September, said Teresa Radcliffe, program manager for the MS-SHIPS community college program at MCC.

 

Radcliffe said approximately 60 teams took part in the contest across the district’s schools, and more than 20 volunteer judges helped winnow the field down to the top nine who presented to Wednesday’s panel of judges. Throughout the process, she said, students have come up with some incredibly innovative ideas that closely mirror product development today.

 

“That’s the coolest thing for me is to watch your ideas, the kinds of things things you started thinking about but I wouldn’t have thought about a year ago even, are starting to come into reality,” she said. “So I’m excited to see where your products go, and I’m excited to see the concepts you’ve had come in the future.”

 

Some of the products presented included a pillow that cools itself when it detects high body heat, a watch that can detect early seizures and alert an emergency contact, a debit card-like device that can detect skimmers – devices used to steal financial data when people swipe or insert debit or credit cards, weapon and drug detectors and fingerprint secured handgun locks to prevent gun violence and more.

Citizens National Bank Meridian Regional President Neil Henry, who served as one of Wednesday’s judges, commended the students for not only developing interesting products but also tackling real world issues that need solutions.

 

“You all did a fantastic job,” he said. “And the ideas, you incorporated a lot of technology. You incorporated saving lives, preventing violence. These are the concepts we need to incorporate every day.”

 

Lori Smith, dean of workforce education for MCC, said the students’ ideas, presentations and attitude show a wealth of creativity and imagination with the professionalism and discipline needed in businesses today.

 

“We’ve got a great group of students already here, but it just gives me really good feelings that we’ve got a good group coming up in the next coming years,” she said. “These ideas have just blown us away. They’re such good ideas, and you’re presenting them well, you look great. This is the kind of business professional that we need in our community.”

 

Darren Bane, director of workforce development for MCC, said he too was impressed by the ideas and presentations the students delivered. With new industries locating in Meridian and workforce needs changing, it will be the students who will have to have the knowledge and training needed to fill those jobs.

 

The three judges will deliberate and decide which of the nine teams will be named the winner of the FlexFactor contest. The winners will be announced in front of the superintendent and school board at the board’s Feb. 18 meeting.

 

The FlexFactor contest and MS-SHIPS program is funded through Accelerate Mississippi, which serves as the state’s workforce development arm. Throughout the semester-long program, students are exposed to a variety of industries and career paths, tour manufacturing facilities and learn about workforce resources in the area.

 

Meridian High School Assistant Principal Karen Burton said students are also walking away with soft skills such as communication and working as a team that will help them regardless of what career path they take.

 

“The opportunities are waiting if you hone in on those skills and become better and better,” she said. “So, I am super proud of you, which I told you this morning before you came, but I’m even more proud of you now.”