Economic Exchange Day is an annual event hosted by the Latrobe Area Chamber of Commerce that brings together high school seniors from Derry Area and Greater Latrobe High Schools for a day-long workshop.


2010 Economic Exchange Day - "Connecting Communities: Trails, Transportation, Land-use and Thoughts"

Brief Summary and Itinerary

Economic Exchange Day (EED) is directed primarily towards high school seniors and college level students.  The event can vary in focus, based upon current development issues in the host community.  It creates an opportunity for high school seniors to interact with college undergraduates, graduate students, and professors, as well as with community leaders and government officials.  The activity focuses on the communities in which the students live by using real data and base mapping.

On Economic Exchange Day (also during in-class presentations leading up to EED) and depending on the issues focused upon, abbreviated asset mapping, visioning, SWOT analysis, facilitation tools, mission and vision statement, strategic planning, etc., hands-on exercises are utilized.

2010 EED was held on March 30, 2010 from 8:00 am - 2:00 pm at Derry Area High School.  It was an all day participatory event to ~ 80 pre-selected students. 

Please click on the links below to view the documents:

Intro to SGP PowerPoint Presentation

RTCA PowerPoint Presentation

Rail-Trail Web Resources

Trail development hard, but can reap economic benefits

To download and view the pictures of the March 29, 2010 hike to Chestnut Ridge, please click here

To view more pictures of the hike, please click here

Latrobe Bulletin, March 31, 2010, post event news article Students Learn to Make Connections

Photos by Marie McCandless

Photo 1:  Derry Township Supervisors Dan Rullo, Dave Slifka and Vince DeCario, with Derry Area Revitalization Corp. member Mitch Raney standing behind

Photo 2:  About 60 Derry Area and Greater Latrobe economics students pose for a group photo after they worked together all day Tuesday

Photo 3:  Peggy Pings, outdoor recreation planner with the National Parks Service Rivers, Trails and Conservation Assistance Program, and Mitch Raney, a member of Derry Area Revitalization Corp.



     



We would like to thank the staff of the Westmoreland County GIS department for their assistance in helping to make this project possible.

2009 Economic Exchange Day

Students were asked to develop plans to improve the downtowns of Derry Borough and the City of Latrobe.  The student leaders were presented with an award at the Smart Growth Partnership annual awards dinner on May 21, 2009.

To view the EED report, please click here

To view the news articles, please click on the links below:

Students challenged with municipal revitalization

Students pitch future development ideast to Latrobe, Derry

Student video on Derry highlights Smart Growth awards dinner

2008 Economic Exchange Day - April 10, 2008

The EED mimicked the week-long U.S. Route 30 Master Plan Design Charrette that was held in October 2007.

The student leaders were presented with an award at the Smart Growth Partnership annual awards dinner on May 28, 2008.  Please click here to view the news article.