Business & Entrepreneurship Symposium

Central Christian High School students spent a full day engaging with local businesses and Christian entrepreneurs during the school’s inaugural Business and Entrepreneurship Symposium. The event paired morning field trips with afternoon breakout sessions, giving students a hands-on look at how values-driven organizations operate and how entrepreneurship can be used to serve the community and God’s kingdom.

Stepping outside their regular classroom routines, students gained meaningful insight into how their talents, interests, and future careers can be shaped by a service-oriented mindset and a Kingdom-focused vision for their role in the marketplace.

Purpose of the Symposium

The symposium was introduced by Lydell Steiner, CCS alumnus, Sales Manager at Tilmor, and event co-organizer. In the weeks leading up to the event, Lydell spoke in chapel about business in the Bible, shared stories from his first middle school venture, and encouraged students to think about entrepreneurship from a faith based perspective.

The goals of the symposium included:

• Inspire Entrepreneurial Thinking Rooted in Faith: Students will be challenged to see business and entrepreneurship not just as paths to profit, but as powerful opportunities to serve God, steward resources wisely, and bring positive Kingdom impact to their community and the world.
• Connect Students with Real-World Experience: The day will feature hands-on learning, mentorship, and networking opportunities.
• Cultivate Leadership, Innovation, and Problem-Solving Skills: We will challenge students to think creatively, work collaboratively, and approach complex challenges with the integrity, resilience, and service-oriented mindset essential for future success.

Morning Field Trips

Learning from Local Businesses

Students visited 15+ local organizations across Wayne, Holmes, and Stark Counties. Depending on their placement, each student visited one to three businesses.

A few highlighted trips included:

ProVia (Strasburg) – Students explored job opportunities and learned how every role, from production to accounting, is shaped by the company’s purpose “to let our light shine before others…” (adapted from Matthew 5:16).
Deli Ohio (Canton) – Students experienced hospitality-centered entrepreneurship in action.
State Farm Insurance (Orrville) – Students heard from agent Justin Haislip and Mayor Matthew Plybon about the impact of business in the local community.

These visits gave students an inside look at how businesses integrate mission, purpose, and excellence into daily operations.

Afternoon Breakout Sessions

Exploring Skills, Calling, and Purpose

In the afternoon, students selected four of 17 workshops led by 20 speakers from small businesses, nonprofits, and large companies.

A sampling of sessions included:

The ABC’s of Business – Lydell Steiner
Business Is Not a Dirty Word: Using Profit for Purpose – Melanie Reusser-Garcia
People Over Profit: The Secret to Long-Term Business Growth – Andrew Simms
Business as a Mission – Jason Rhodes Showalter
Empowered to Lead: Faith, Vision, and Global Impact – Dan Owolabi
Human Resources: Where People and Purpose Meet – Misty Fraelick-Clark

These sessions highlighted how local leaders live out their values within their fields and encouraged students to imagine how their passions might meet real needs in the world.

Faith & Business in Action

Symposium co-organizer Maggie Coblentz emphasized the importance of blending business and faith:

“The integration of faith and business was another powerful component of the day. It is so important for high school students to see how values rooted in faith can guide decision-making, leadership, and purpose in the workplace. Hearing from mission-driven and nonprofit leaders gave students a broader perspective on how business can be a tool to grow the Kingdom of God and bring Him glory. Many students walked away with a clearer understanding of how they might follow God’s calling, whether in traditional business settings or in nonprofit and ministry-focused work.”

Community Partnership

The symposium was made possible through the generosity of our community partners and speakers. Their commitment brought to life the vision of Superintendent Nate Holton and event organizers Maggie Coblentz and Lydell Steiner. Students shared how grateful they were for the time, insight, and hospitality these businesses offered.

Looking Ahead

Themed symposiums will continue annually as CCS seeks to equip students with practical skills and a deeper understanding of how their gifts can serve God’s kingdom and the community.