We are excited to share a remarkable experience that Rathbun Insurance was honored to be a part of recently. Last Friday, April 19, our team joined forces with Junior Achievement (JA) of Mid-
Michigan at the Girls' Dream Fair hosted at Trinity Church in Lansing. This year's event was a fantastic opportunity to inspire and encourage over 250 7th and 8th grade middle school students from the greater Lansing area to explore careers in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics).
The Girls Dream Fair was our $1,000 Quotes for a Cause recipient for April. Since September 2015, Rathbun Insurance has selected a different non-profit each month as part of our Quotes for a Cause giving campaign. This campaign allows our Agency to partner with local organizations that are making a positive impact our own community. Rathbun Insurance staff also played an integral role in the planning and execution. Our Chief Operating Officer, Laura Stoken, not only served on the planning committee but also had the distinct honor of emceeing the event. Laura led an inspiring panel discussion featuring accomplished women in STEM fields, sharing their experiences and insights with the next generation:
Erica Krieger, VP of Quality for Senior Health Services
Grace Griffin, Plant Director for Lansing Plant Ultium Cells Battery Facility
Michelle Massey, Vice President of Community Outreach and Customer Operations for TechSmith
Megan Doherty, President and CEO of F.D. Hayes Electric
Kelly Preston, President of Capital Steel & Wire
These remarkable women engaged the students, sparking curiosity about potential STEM careers. Additionally, our Rathbun Insurance team members, Heather Kim (Producer) and Kim Evans
(Account Manager), actively participated in the career fair during the event. They worked our booth, introducing students to various careers in the insurance industry and engaging them in a fun game to learn about risk transfer, all while enjoying special treats.
Laura also had the opportunity to volunteer in the classroom to teach 26 students three different lessons from the JA curriculum "It's My Future." She was joined by her mother Michelle Jess, who brought with her 35 years of teaching experience, volunteering for the day alongside other incredible volunteers. What a great experience for all!
The impact of this event was truly profound. Over 250 young minds were exposed to the vast possibilities within STEM fields, thanks to the collaborative efforts of so many volunteers and sponsors led by the Junior Achievement of Mid-Michigan staff.
Events like the JA Girls' Dream Fair exemplify the importance of fostering curiosity and ambition in our future leaders. Rathbun Insurance is proud to have been a part of this initiative and looks forward to continuing to support programs that inspire and empower young minds in our community.