Preble County ESC Project LIFE

09/22/2026

Sometimes the best lessons aren’t planned!

When your instructor mixes up the date and accidentally tells transportation they aren’t needed today, you get a very real-life opportunity to practice the morning’s lesson—which, coincidentally, was all about being flexible!

Our interns handled the unexpected change incredibly well. It was a great reminder that we may not always be able to control our circumstances, but we can control how we react to them. Today, they adapted, adjusted their plans, and demonstrated exactly what flexibility looks like in the real world.

As a class reward for putting the morning’s lesson into practice—perhaps a little sooner than expected—the interns were treated to a Dirty Soda Bar!

A little flexibility (and a dirty soda) can go a long way when the day doesn’t go quite as planned.

Now we’d love to hear from you! Tell us about a time when you had to be flexible at work. What happened, and how did you handle it? We’ll be sharing your responses with our interns in the classroom as we continue talking about what flexibility looks like in the workplace.

09/08/2026

🐾🍺 SOMETHING AMAZING IS BREWING AT PROJECT LIFE! 🍺🐾

We are incredibly excited to announce a new partnership with Warped Wing Brewing Company, who will be providing Project LIFE with spent brewing grains to use in our student-made dog treats! 🐶🦴

From naming their brewery after the Wright brothers’ “wing warping” innovation, to naming beers in honor of local inventors, to preserving the foundry’s original 10-ton industrial crane above their taproom, Warped Wing is a company that embraces Dayton’s history while carrying its spirit of innovation forward.

And that’s one of the things that makes this partnership feel like such a natural fit for Project LIFE.

At Project LIFE, we’re also about looking at possibilities differently — creating opportunities for students to discover their strengths, develop real-world skills, build confidence and independence, and take pride in what they can accomplish.

I had the opportunity to visit Warped Wing today and see the brewing process in action, and what an experience! The brewers were incredibly kind and welcoming, and it was fascinating to see firsthand where one of the ingredients in our dog treats will come from.

A huge thank-you to the Warped Wing Brewing Company team for believing in what we’re doing and for investing in opportunities for our students.

Local partnership. Real-world learning. And some very happy dogs. 🐕❤️

We’re looking forward to seeing what we can create together!

08/31/2026

🦉🐐🦔 Project LIFE went WILD! 🐢🦅🐾

On Friday, our interns took a field trip to Wild Hearts African Farm, and what an experience it was!

We had the opportunity to get up close with so many amazing animals — including plenty that we were able to pet and feed! The tour was incredibly informative, and we learned so much about the different animals, their care, behaviors, habitats, and more.

There was definitely no shortage of new friends to meet! 🐾 With more than 85 animals representing over 35 species, our interns encountered everything from cows, donkeys, and goats to owls, tortoises, porcupines, and some fascinating exotic animals. There were plenty of “I’ve never seen one of those before!” moments throughout the day!

And we have to give a HUGE shoutout to the Wild Hearts staff. 💚 They were absolutely incredible — knowledgeable, welcoming, patient, and so good at making the experience both educational and FUN. They made our visit extra special!

Field trips like this give our interns a chance to learn, ask questions, experience something new, and connect with our community — and sometimes they get to make a few furry, feathered, and spiky friends along the way. 😊

Thank you, Wild Hearts African Farm, for such a memorable day! We had a WILD time! 💚

08/28/2026

🎬💚 THE SECRET IS OUT!

For a long time, we’ve wished there were a way to truly show people what Project LIFE is.

Not just explain it.

Not just talk about job sites, internships, skills, confidence, and independence.

But let you see it.

Today, we finally get to do that. 💚

We are incredibly proud to share our new Project LIFE video with our community — and beyond!

This video tells the story of Project LIFE through the people who know it best: our interns, our job-site partners, and the people who see firsthand what can happen when young people are given opportunities to learn, grow, contribute, and discover what they’re capable of.

This project would not have been possible without some pretty incredible people.

🎥 Kevin Shook and Global Media Enterprise — thank you for listening to our vision and turning it into something even better than we imagined. You didn’t simply make a video for us. You helped us tell the story of Project LIFE, and gave us a way to share that story far beyond the walls of our program. We are so grateful for the care, patience, and talent you brought to this project.

💼 Our job-site partners: Wings Etc., Bullen Ultrasonics, Inc., and Preble County YMCA — thank you for opening your businesses to our interns, our staff, and now a camera crew! Thank you to those who agreed to be interviewed and allowed us to film inside your workplaces. More importantly, thank you for believing in our interns and giving them opportunities to learn what it means to be part of a workplace and a team.

Edited to add: A special thank you to Tannar Hess and Blu Sky's Cafe for allowing us to film at the café and for continuing to support Project LIFE by offering our interns’ homemade dog treats for sale. We love that the video was able to capture a little piece of that partnership

🏫 Our partner school districts: Twin Valley Community Local School District, National Trail Local School District, Tri-County North Local Schools, Preble Shawnee Local School District, and Eaton Community Schools — thank you for believing in Project LIFE, supporting this program, and entrusting us with your students. Your partnership makes these opportunities possible.

💚 Our interns — YOU are the heart of Project LIFE. Being followed by a camera and answering questions on the spot takes courage! Thank you for letting people see a little piece of your journey. We could not be prouder of you.

❤️ And to our Project LIFE families — thank you for trusting us with your kids. Thank you for allowing us to challenge them, encourage them, celebrate them, and be part of their journey toward greater confidence and independence. And to those who agreed to sit down in front of the camera and share your family's experience with Project LIFE — thank you. We know that sharing your thoughts, hopes, and experiences publicly takes vulnerability and trust. Your voices help others understand this program in a way that we simply could not explain ourselves.

Project LIFE has never been about just one person, one classroom, one school, or one job site.

It’s about a community coming together to create opportunities and change what’s possible for young people.

And now, we finally get to show you what that looks like.

This is Project LIFE. 💚

We hope you'll watch. We hope you'll share. And most of all, we hope you'll see what we see every day:

Potential. Growth. Belonging. Possibility.

🎬 Hit play. Our secret is officially out. 👀💚

Project LIFE is more than a program—it’s an opportunity for young a...

08/27/2026

🥜🍓 How hard can it be to make a PB&J? Apparently VERY hard when you have to follow your students’ directions exactly! 😂

Laura’s mom joined us for this fun lesson, and there were plenty of laughs along the way. A hilarious reminder of just how important it is to give—and receive—clear directions!

PB&J: easy to make… unless the instructions say otherwise. 😂🥪

🤫 Psssst… ONE MORE DAY until our BIG surprise! 👀🎬 We can’t wait to finally share it with you!

08/26/2026

We know something you don’t know… 👀🤫

Friday….

08/24/2026

One of the best ways to learn about our community is to get out and explore it!

Project LIFE took a community walk and made stops at the police station, fire department, courthouse, and Blu’s Sky Cafe. Along the way, our interns had the opportunity to learn more about the people, places, and services that are part of the community around them.

Community walks are about more than getting from one place to another. They give our interns a chance to practice real-world skills, become more familiar and comfortable with their surroundings, ask questions, make connections, and build confidence navigating their community. 💚

And, of course, no community walk is complete without a stop at a local favorite! Thanks to Blu’s Sky Cafe for welcoming our crew. ☕️

A great day of learning, exploring, and connecting!

08/21/2026

🌟 A Little Elbow Grease & A Lot of Gratitude 🌟

When the Star Theatre asked Project LIFE to give their sign a little TLC, we were more than happy to roll up our sleeves and get to work! 🌱

Our crew gave the area a good scrub, tackled the weeds, and planted some fresh flowers to brighten things up. It was a great opportunity to put our skills to work—but even more importantly, it gave us a chance to give back to people who have given so much to Project LIFE.

Over the years, Star Theatre has been an incredible supporter of our program. Whether it’s opening their theater and gym to us for special events, providing movie viewings for our interns, or simply saying, “How can we help?” whenever a need arises, their generosity and willingness to support Project LIFE has meant more than they probably realize. 💚

Community partnerships are such an important part of what makes Project LIFE possible, and the best partnerships go both ways. We’re grateful that this time, we got to be the helpers.

A few flowers and a little elbow grease may be a small way to say thank you, but they were planted with a whole lot of appreciation. 🌼🌿

Thank you, Star Theatre, for always being in our corner! We are incredibly grateful for you. 💚

08/20/2026

🌱 Meet the Project LIFE Team! 🌱

Behind every worksite, new skill, successful day—and the occasional bit of organized chaos—is a team of people who care deeply about helping our interns learn, grow, and discover what they’re capable of.

We thought it was time to introduce the faces behind Project LIFE! From left to right:

🧡 Sheri | Skills Trainer – Bullen
3rd year with Project LIFE
Bengals fan forever. 🐅 Adopt, don’t shop—always. 🐾 And firmly believes old junk is better than new junk.

🪨 Monica | Skills Trainer – Paws for a Purpose
4th year with Project LIFE
Collects rocks, fossils, weird old stuff, and houseplants. Her decorating style? “Eclectic grandma meets slightly unhinged natural history museum.” 😂

🌱 Laura | Project LIFE Program Instructor
4th year with Project LIFE
Raises plants, chickens, and twins. Also one innocent Pinterest search away from creating an entire Project LIFE theme week. Results may vary. 🐓🌿😂

🎶 Chelsea | Skills Trainer – Providing Support Across Worksites
1st full year with Project LIFE
Music is her escape (she used to sing in a band! 🎤), she loves paranormal investigation videos, and memoir audiobooks are her go-to. One day, she hopes to write her own!

⚡ Chelsey | Skills Trainer – Wings Etc.
3rd year with Project LIFE
Powered by caffeine—usually an Alani, sometimes coffee, but ALWAYS caffeine. ☕️😂

Different personalities, different interests, and different roles—but one shared purpose: creating meaningful opportunities for our interns to build skills, confidence, independence, and relationships.

And, of course, we all share one unofficial job title:

Chaos Coordinators. 😂

Some days we even make it look organized.

We’re excited for another year of learning, laughing, working, and GROWING together! 💚🌱

08/19/2026

What a great first day for Project LIFE! 🌱💙💚

This year, we’re embracing the Preble County ESC’s theme of GROW—and today was a pretty perfect way to start.

Our students jumped right in, working together to give our beautiful mosaic planters some new life. They dug in the dirt, planted, laughed, helped one another, and got their hands dirty. And seeing the flowers blooming feels like the perfect picture of what we hope this year will become. 🌼🌿

For the Preble County ESC, GROW means:

💚 G — Grace: Give grace to ourselves and others as we learn and grow
💙 R — Relationships: Build relationships rooted in respect, trust, and belonging
💚 O — Opportunities: Embrace opportunities to learn, contribute, and succeed.
💙 W — Work: Do the work, together, to turn possibilities into progress.

Growth doesn’t happen all at once. It happens when we show up, try something new, support each other, and keep putting in the work.

If today is any indication, we’re going to have a pretty incredible year.

Here’s to a year of learning, friendships, opportunities, hard work—and plenty of GROWTH! 🌱