The Slippery Rock University students who are getting a chance to put their classroom lessons to work at the Musical Theatre Guild of Butler are gaining real-world experiences that will be invaluable to them later in life.

Paul Koontz, a Communication, Media & Sport Management student, is planning a public-relations campaign as part of a class project and he's going to focus on MTG’s long history as a community organization.

Larry Stock, a member of the groups board of directors and the advisory board for SRU's communication department, invited students to work with the guild so they could get real life experience in the careers they hope to pursue.

The students are going to take photos and make videos as part of their class project and that work with appear on the guild's website and YouTube channels as part of MTG's official marketing.

The long history of the guild offers students a lot of material to use in the public relations strategies they make part of their project.

Koontz said he's learning how to take promotional photos and videos, make a marketing plan and promote the guild. It's been rewarding work for him, his fellow students and the guild.

We're lucky to have such a great university in our backyard and the students are so lucky to have such great hands-on learning opportunities available in Butler County.

This is how we prepare our young people for what's next in life. Letting them know that such possibilities exist so close to home just might keep our young people here when they take their next steps.

— KL