The Chamber Ambassadors welcomed one of Valdosta’s newest businesses and Chamber members, Play It Forward, with a ribbon cutting at the Chamber on Thursday.
 
Play it Forward is a unique business that combines many fields from human resources, to marketing, to digital media and education.  Play it Forward has designed a program to encourage local high school students to remain in the Valdosta-Lowndes County area after graduation.
 
“Some of our youth decide to leave Valdosta and go study out of state, or to different universities and do not always come back with their degrees because they cannot envision a career in their field here,” said founder Christine Leclerc-Sherling.  
 
Play it Forward is working with local businesses to film promotional videos of the talent and opportunities the Valdosta business community has to offer.  Local students will be watching these videos and commenting on them through social media platforms such as YouTube.  Videos with the most views, likes, and comments will be chosen as winners at the end of the program.  Students will also be chosen as winners for posing interesting questions or engaging in discussions in the comments sections of the videos.
 
Students and local business leaders will come together at a finale event, where winning students and business leaders will have the opportunity to learn more about each other.
 
“We inspire young emerging talents to envision exciting and successful careers beyond the traditional paths, and we provide them with a platform to meet with local, energetic, and passionate professionals,” said Sherling.
 
Sherling said that being known in the community as a Chamber member was extremely important to her and her team.
 
“We know that this association is creating credibility and trust,” said Sherling.
 
Be on the lookout for more information about Play it Forward in the coming months! They can be reached at (912) 816-7065, or through the mail at P.O. Box 5020.