YOUNGSTOWN Companies contribute to educational program

THE VINDICATOR
YOUNGSTOWN -- Six area companies contributed a combined total of $30,000 to the Ohio Business Week Foundation to help fund its 2003 summer program teaching high school students across the state about the free enterprise system.
Butler Wick & amp; Co., National City Bank, First Place Bank Community Foundation, FirstEnergy Foundation, the General Motors Lordstown Assembly Plant, and Hill, Barth & amp; King accounting have played key roles in the program, said Nancy Whetstone, OBWF executive director.
The foundation is a statewide, nonprofit organization founded in 1988 to provide high school students and educators in Ohio with hands-on business experience.
Business executives whose services are loaned by area companies act as advisors as participants form their own student companies, electing officers and generating ideas for imaginary business ventures.
One summer session will be at Youngstown State University from July 27 to Aug. 2.
Here are the local business contributions for this year, with their accumulative contributions listed in parentheses: Butler Wick, $5,000 ($23,500 ); National City Bank Northeast, $7,500 ($30,000); First Place Bank Community Foundation, $6,000 ($24,000); FirstEnergy Foundation, $5,000 ($20,000); General Motors Lordstown Assembly, $4,000 ($18,850); Hill, Barth and King, $2,500 ($7,500).