Education

EDUCATION: The #1 priority of BUSINESS

2007 Rural Maryland Summit Award for Outstanding Rural Economic Development: Charlie Ross for a rainbow of local international projects

2006 Maryland Tourism Council "Educational Development Award" for the efforts of Charles Mason Ross of the Garrett County Chamber of Commerce

2006 Rural Maryland Summit Award for Outstanding Community Develpoment: "Living History Program-French & Indian War" for all Garrett County 4th Graders

“The first appointment I sought after starting my position of President & CEO of the Chamber of Commerce was with the Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Wendell Teets. The second was with Garrett College President, Dr. Steve Herman. My message to each of them was the same: so long as I served as head of the Chamber, its number one priority would be education.”

Below is a list of my activities and the activities of my Board members and members-at-large testifying to that message. They currently number 23 and run the gamut from financial support to curriculum development. The volunteer hours are too numerous to count. Volunteers include educators, former educators, parents, grandparents and students. The Chamber thanks them all.


Projects that take the Chamber into schools

1. Achievement Counts
2. PIVOT at NHS & SHS
3. Job Fair
4. Career Expo
5. NHS School Performance Evaluation
6. Garrett College Presidential Search Committee
7. Freshman Seminars at Northern & Southern
8. Teacher of the Year
9. Robotics Program
10. Northern’s Machine Tool Shop
11. Electric Car Project
12. Living History Program-every 4th grader
13. Entrepreneurial Heritage Project
14. Master Plan Steering Committee for the Board of Education
15. School Calendar Committee
16. Summer Reading Program
17. Writers’ Workshop Project
18. Graduation Speeches
19. Read Across America-all libraries
20. Teaching Business at Garrett College
21. Crellin Project
22. Business/Education Partnership Luncheon
23. Garrett College Chamber Scholarship