Latest news with #TourismWorks'
Yahoo
29-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
PROGRESS 2025: Residents can participate in free tourism education program
charleston — A new online training program in the Mountain State aims to introduce more area residents to tourism. Gov. Patrick Morrisey introduced the online 'Tourism Works' platform in early March as part of the state's drive to grow its tourism industry and create more jobs in the tourism and hospitality sectors. The online education program is designed to enhance hospitality skills and training among the state's tourism workforce and everyday West Virginians. Created in partnership with the West Virginia Department of Tourism and Blue Ridge Community and Technical College, Tourism Works is a free online course that gives learners the chance to earn one hour of college credit from Blue Ridge Community and Technical College. All West Virginians, not just those seeking college credit, are encouraged to enroll in the course, which highlights the many regions, small businesses, history and culture that makes the state their home, according to Morrisey. The course focuses on West Virginia small businesses and communities. 'This is one of my favorite days and I enjoy it because it gives West Virginia a chance to really show off,' Morrisey said of Tourism Day, which he used to unveil the new online platform. 'Tourism Day at the capitol couldn't be any better, and I know that all of you and all of West Virginia, are very proud of what this state has to offer. Our state's natural beauty, our outdoor vistas, our adventure, our historic places and quite frankly our delicious food. We attract people from all across the country that visit West Virginia.' Tourism is one of the main drivers in West Virginia's economy, Morrisey said. 'Every year tourism produces an economic value of over $8.7 billion dollars,' the Republican governor said. 'Visitor spending supports more than 60,000 jobs total and as many as 73,000 employed in the leisure and hospitality sectors in the state. That's a lot. Think about the workforce participation we have. Tourism is a huge driver. ' The new online program will help more of the state's residents and people moving to the state have opportunities to enter the tourism sector, said West Virginia Department of Tourism Secretary Chelsea Ruby. 'Thanks to Gov. Morrisey, the West Virginia Legislature, the Department of Education and all of our amazing partners across the state, the future of tourism has never looked brighter,' Ruby said. 'This sector currently includes 70,000 hospitality and tourism jobs in West Virginia with an expected 21,000 job openings each year. The Tourism Works program is a wonderful resource for anyone looking to gain experience in a thriving industry.' 'These are good paying jobs and these are reasons for people to stay in West Virginia or for new people to come visit our great state,' Morrisey said. People who want to take the free course can search West Virginia Tourism Works free online training.
Yahoo
13-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Brookhaven Elementary hosts annual ‘Evening of the Arts' celebration
MORGANTOWN, (WBOY) — Brookhaven Elementary School rolled out the red carpet on Wednesday for its third Evening of the Arts, an exciting community celebration that showcased the power of creativity and artistic expression. This free event invited families, students, and neighbors to come together for a night full of inspiring visual and performing arts. 'We're working on a giant Brook Trout sculpture/painting that is going to be about 16 feet long,' Brookhaven Elementary School Art Teacher Jason Jaros said. 'It will be something that these kids can look at and remember this experience for a long time.' Gov. Morrisey announces creation of 'Tourism Works' program Attendees had the chance to leave their mark on a collaborative community art project, which will serve as a lasting tribute to the event's spirit of creativity and connection. This unique piece of art will be proudly displayed in the Brookhaven Cafeteria later this spring, offering a visual reminder of the shared artistic journey. 'I think that the arts is—is crucial for a well-rounded education. These kids have a chance to come in here and, you know, look at problems and things that have more than one right answer. So, it gives them a chance to express themselves,' Jaros said. Students at Brookhaven Elementary have raised rainbow trout from eggs as part of the Trout in the Classroom project, a collaboration with WVU and Trout Unlimited. The trout eggs were supplied by the fish hatchery in Bowden. Guests were also treated to a diverse array of performances, interactive art exhibits, and hands-on workshops for all ages. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
13-03-2025
- Yahoo
Two-day photography workshop held at Seneca Rocks
SENECA ROCKS, (WBOY) — Over the past two days, a photography workshop called 'Seneca Moonwalk' has been held at Seneca Rocks as a partnership between Reflection in a Pool photography and Wade Desai, Land Manager of Fourth Moon Camp. Desai told 12 News that the idea for the workshop began a few years ago after several slackliners, who'd been coming to Seneca Rocks for multiple years, ran into the photographers at Reflection in a Pool. 'They had a vision that's been done in the slackline community before by a famous slackliner named Dean Potter,' he said. Desai added that the purpose of the workshop is to put a slackline in front of the moon and get a slackliner in silhouette as they're in front of the moon. These photos were taken from a geologic formation at Seneca Rocks that's known by many as 'Gunsight Notch.' 'It's just this really unusual trifecta or possibly even more factors than just three to make it come true,' said Desai. 'So over the years, we planned and we tried. We were successful once before and now we got to a place where we finally feel like we've got the system dialed and we can reproducibly create the image again and again with slight artistic variations, based on whoever the photographer is.' Desai told 12 News that the people involved in this event have put years into it, and that with the Gunsight Notch rock in particular, it's important for a participant to be familiar with the rock type, the routes, the approach and the exit, as well as all of the other information that's required to participate safely. According to Desai, it's also important to be in enough physical fitness to be able to carry the equipment, have enough know-how to operate the equipment safely, as well as have the communication and teamwork skills necessary to do the exercise with 'trust and honesty and humility.' Gov. Morrisey announces creation of 'Tourism Works' program 'At the end of the day, the most important thing is to stay safe,' said Desai. 'We're tethered in the entire time we're going up, setting it up, doing the thing and coming down. So if we're not on top of that, we can't continue to do it in the future.' At Seneca Rocks, Desai said that the predominant type of climbing that's used is traditional or 'trad climbing.' According to him, this just describes climbing that utilizes a minimal use of gear that is permanently fixed into the rocks. 'We're very fortunate that we can walk to North Peak using the tourist trail that's maintained,' Desai said. 'Then we use climbing gear essentially to safely both scramble—which is a type of not vertical climbing, but more horizontal—as well as rappel down to where we need to be directly in that Gunsight Notch.' According to Desai, they use a variety of forms of climbing techniques and equipment once they're atop the Gunsight Notch. He added that they primarily use slackline-specific purpose-built equipment for the actual slacklining portion of the activity. Desai was inspired to put together an event like this by the people that initially got him into slacklining. He told 12 News that the first slackline he got on that was leashed was actually a highline at the end of Smoke Hole North Fork Mountain, adding that he and his friends still explore there to this day. 'There is a very much teamwork element to the activity that no one can do this alone,' said Desai. 'And why would you want to? So the more that you spend time with people in these circumstances—very intense, high risk, high reward and ultimately basic to the human condition, you end up with just ultimately relationships that you're just like 'man, what can we do outside of slacklining?'' Desai works with his team of slackliners at Fourth Moon Camp's property, which can be found behind Seneca Rocks just off of Roy Gap Road. 'We've planted here for life to build together some permanent vestige of what we experienced in the slackline community and our growth in slackline,' he added. Fourth Moon Camp's property is along an emergency access road, so it doesn't encourage people to drive on the road. However, you can visit their website for more information on how to get in touch with them and to plan a visit. 'We're not just about slacklining, we want people outside and that's what I was inspired to do,' said Desai. He told 12 News that he used to work indoors during his past, but he found a new passion through slacklining, adding that he feels he's bringing health and wellness to people on a regular basis. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
