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KMS students design DCHS billboard

THE KINGSFORD MIDDLE SCHOOL careers class in front of the billboard they helped design for Dickinson County Health Systems. In back, from left, are Anthony Schahczinski, Evan Rittenhouse Witynski, Nolan Pipp, Troy Janosky, Chloe Hull, Dennis Neuens, Trestan Larson, Lucca Rizzo and Daniel Lusk. In front are Zach Milliron, Emma Andrews, Olympia Moore, Cara Aud, Amelia Ellison, Abby Nichols, Alexis Roe, Grace Roberts, Danika Varda, Maegan Dooley, Nathan Bousley, Daniel Weber, Johnnie Pougalski and Isaac Peterson. Not pictured is Kylie Plemel. (Theresa Proudfit/Daily News photo)

KINGSFORD — When Joe Rizzo was asked to speak to son Lucca Rizzo’s class about his role as public relations manager at Dickinson County Healthcare Systems, he didn’t plan to enlist the Kingsford Middle School students in the hospital’s next marketing campaign.

But that’s what happened.

“I explained to the class how in marketing we use print, radio, billboards, TV and social media to advertise our awards and services. Then the idea hit me — to engage the class and have them experience the process, I asked them if they wouldn’t mind helping to create our next billboard,” Rizzo said.

The students in Tina Francis’s careers class were provided with some guidelines, but for the most part they chose the wording and the photo used for the new billboards.

Those billboards now have been placed in five Upper Peninsula cities; Gladstone, Escanaba, Iron River, Iron Mountain and Kingsford.

“We took a week to come up with the quote, ‘Striving Towards a Healthier Future,’ because that really goes through all their departments instead of just one at DCH (Dickinson County Memorial Hospital),” middle school student Danny Weber said.

The assignment was to create a billboard emphasizing the importance of establishing healthy habits and lifestyles

“The message I get from the board is that it is important to develop healthy habits at a young age and our health providers can lead you toward a healthier future. What a great message to share,” Rizzo said. “I thank the class, Mrs. Francis and the DCHS PR team for all of their effort and hard work. I think they hit a home run.”

Theresa Proudfit can be reached at 906-774-2272, ext. 45, or tproudfit@ironmountaindailynews.com.

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