In February, Batesville High School Freshman Community students explored developing professional skills, gaining valuable insights from local professionals as they continue to work toward developing the qualities included in our Bulldog Ready Portrait of a Graduate. The event focused on sharpening communication skills through practice and feedback while emphasizing the key attributes of confidence and empathy.
Students engaged in five “adulting skills” rotations:
• Rotation 1: Practicing 3-minute conversations (#BulldogReady goal: sharpening communication skills and showing empathy)
o Scenarios included:
• 
Sitting at the Airport
• 
Going through the line at a funeral home for a friend’s dad
• 
Meeting a Significant Other’s Parents
• 
Standing in Line at an Amusement Park
• 
Talking to a Checkout Clerk at a Grocery Store
• 
Ordering at a Coffee Shop
• 
Riding an Elevator on Vacation
• 
Small Talk in a Doctor’s Office Waiting Room
• 
Chatting at Halftime of a Sporting Event
• 
Assisting a Customer
• 
Conversing at a Wedding or Family Event
• 
Checking in for a Physical Appointment
• 
Talking to a Hairdresser During a Haircut
• Volunteering at a Nursing Home
• Rotation 2: How to call and make an appointment (#BulldogReady goal: sharpening communications skills)
o Students called the BCSC administration building, where staff answered the phone, pretending to be the office with which the student needed to make an appointment
• Rotation 3: How to address an envelope (#BulldogReady goal: expand community awareness)
o Students addressed envelopes for notes they had written, thanking community partners for their help with the Bulldog Ready community-connected learning model
• Rotation 4: How to tie a tie (#BulldogReady goal: confidence)
o Students practiced this skill with teachers
• Rotation 5: How to dress for work (business casual versus casual; business professional versus business formal) (#BulldogReady goal: confidence)
o Students were provided with a scenario for work and had to select from among sample clothing pieces what would be appropriate to wear, given the occasion
A huge THANK YOU to these amazing community partners for sharing their expertise and experience:
Becky Walter – Margaret Mary Health
Angela Linville – Batesville, Indiana
Katelyn Labolt – Amack’s Well Community Coffee House
Shelby Cole – Ivy Tech Lawrenceburg (Batesville Campus)
Shayla Sattler – Friendship State Bank
Brianna Weberding – Batesville – Honoring Lives (Casket)
Ethan Hirt – Batesville – Honoring Lives (Casket)
Teri Baker – Global Atlantic Financial Group
Brandi Merkle – Ripley County Chamber of Commerce
Justin Sutherland – Batesville Christian Church
Mike Kick – BCSC
Brian Hoffman – Baxter International Inc.
Eric Benz – Baxter
Nicole Johannigman – Baxter
Your time and insights are helping shape the future of our students—thank you for making a lasting impact!
In addition, Batesville High School would like to thank the John and Joan Hillenbrand Vision Fund for its $2,000 grant that supports the freshman community experiences this year. For this particular event, support from the Vision Fund helped pay for the envelopes and postage for the students to mail their notes.
