BY LOGAN LEE, COMMUNICATIONS AND PUBLIC RELATIONS INTERN
Flora Food Group’s generous sponsorship opened new doors for 4-H youth to explore how their personal strengths connect to future careers during Discover Days at Kansas State University. Their investment enhanced this three-day statewide annual event, which brings together young people to build skills, connect with their peers, and discover career pathways. Thanks to Flora Food Group’s philanthropic investment, participants completed CliftonStrengths assessments and attended an engaging peer-to-peer workshop designed to help them understand and apply their strengths to achieve future success.
Participants said the exercises helped them discover their strengths and learn how to use them in future careers. Alivia, a current 4-H member from Cowley County, said, “I push myself to be better constantly because of my strengths(competition and discipline), and this will apply in the workforce as well.” Another current 4-H member from Pawnee County, Addison, states, “Knowing what I am good at and transferring that into a job or career is easier because I am doing into a job or career is easier because I am doing things I like.”
Flora Food Group also hosted a professional career panel that gave teens an opportunity to listen to real-world stories and ask questions about potential careers. Rayna Bush, Senior People and Organization Lead for Manufacturing USA at Flora Food Group, joined them and talked about how important it is to know what your strengths are so that you can succeed.
Not only did the teens love this opportunity, but Flora Food Group also thought this was a great opportunity for Kansas youth. “Discovery Days opens doors for teens to explore careers and industries they may never have considered or have had exposure to, and uncover strengths they didn’t know they had. It’s a powerful step toward shaping their future careers with confidence and clarity,” said Bush.
“At Flora Food Group, one of our core values is ‘Care,’ and that includes our commitment to caring for others and giving back to our communities and helping them thrive,” said Susan Pac, Flora’s Communications Director. “The Kansas 4-H program is a perfect partner for us as we are both committed to our communities, and we are proud to support their youth development initiatives.”
Flora’s investment in Kansas teens through this experience helped develop skills to identify, discuss, and apply their unique strengths while gaining insights from professionals and industry leaders. This partnership helps ensure that Kansas youth are Beyond Ready, equipped with the confidence, skills, and experiences they need to thrive in both work and life.