web1_TTL092019SEMwbaFH_3.jpg

District 2 field hockey chase history as Klassner looks for 700th win

web1_123852528-06f1024fdfc44bed9a6b30c03a9f24bd.jpg

Philadelphia Eagles run over Buffalo Bills in 31-13 win

<p>WILKES-BARRE &#8212; Groups of students from two area colleges are headed to the finals in a statewide competition to design an integrated marketing campaign for the America250PA program.</p><p>Teams from King&#8217;s College and Wilkes University were chosen to represent the state&#8217;s northeast region following a competition Saturday at the THINK Center in downtown Wilkes-Barre that brought together nearly 50 students from nine colleges and universities.</p><p>&#8220;The America250PA Direct Effect Innovation Challenge is Pennsylvania&#8217;s largest co-creation project ever,&#8221; said Joe Boylan, executive director of Wilkes-Barre Connect, whose upcoming conference is where the finals will be held.</p><p>Wilkes-Barre Connect is the Greater Wilkes-Barre Chamber&#8217;s entrepreneurial and economic development arm.</p><p>America250PA is The Pennsylvania Commission for the United States Semiquincentennial, a non-partisan, non-political group working on plans to mark the 250th anniversary of American independence in 2026. <a href="https://www.timesleader.com/news/756542/coleman-named-executive-director-of-the-america250pa-initiative" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Former Exeter Borough Mayor Cassandra Coleman serves as the commission&#8217;s executive </a><a href="https://www.timesleader.com/news/756542/coleman-named-executive-director-of-the-america250pa-initiative" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">director</a>.</p><p>&#8220;It&#8217;s an opportunity to commemorate our state&#8217;s contributions to this country, celebrate our diversity, and elevate our talented citizens and unique communities,&#8221; Coleman said. &#8220;With the efforts of this project, over the next 6.5 years, we want to reach every Pennsylvanian in some way across all 67 counties.&#8221;</p><p>The teams from Wilkes and King&#8217;s, along with teams from six other schools across Pennsylvania, each will work with the US Postal Service Innovation Team, Maga Design Group, and Wilkes-Barre Connect over the next few weeks, to transform their campaigns into an executable strategy before &#8220;pitching&#8221; live on stage Nov. 19 during the <a href="https://www.timesleader.com/news/759478/bringing-the-best-together-wb-connect-conference-to-spotlight-innovation" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Wilkes-Barre Connect Conference</a> at the Woodlands Inn and Resort in Plains Township.</p><p>&#8220;We are excited that the final competition will occur right here in Northeast Pennsylvania,&#8221; Boylan said.</p><p>The America250PA Commission Judges will ultimately select one winning concept that will be enacted to launch the America250PA initiative statewide in 2020.</p><p>&#8220;The fact that this project/competition was born in the basement of the Think Center in Wilkes- Barre just goes to show the amazing things that this region is doing,&#8221; Coleman added. &#8220;We wouldn&#8217;t have been able to do this without Joe Boylan and Wilkes-Barre Connect.&#8221;</p><p>The King&#8217;s College team included Dennis Kennedy, Alyssa Gesek, Caleb Cooley and Ethan Hasenzahl. The academic advisor was Dr. Amy Parsons.</p><p>The Wilkes University team included Madison Kaminski, Daniel Kultys, Logan Rock, Aaron Smith, Daniel Devito, Sal Purpura, McKaylah DeKay, and Lamont Brown. The academic advisor was Lisa Reynolds.</p><p>On Saturday those teams competed against students from East Stroudsburg University, Lackawanna College, Luzerne County Community College, Misericordia University, Penn State Wilkes-Barre, Susquehanna University and the University of Scranton.</p><p>At the conference, King&#8217;s and Wilkes will face off against Lycoming College, Messiah College, Point Park University, Robert Morris University, Community College of Philadelphia and Millersville University</p><style>
.neFileBlock {
	margin-bottom: 20px;
}
.neFileBlock p {
	margin: 0px 0px 0px 0px;
}
.neFileBlock .neFile {
	border-bottom: 1px dotted #aaa;
	padding-bottom: 5px;
	padding-top: 10px;
}
.neFileBlock .neCaption {
	font-size: 85%;
}
</style>
<div class='neFileBlock'>
<div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/web1_DEIC-Group.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Participants from all nine schools who participated in Saturday&#8217;s event are seen here. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/web1_DEIC-Group.jpg</photo0><caption0>Participants from all nine schools who participated in Saturday&#8217;s event are seen here. </caption0><photoCredit0>Submitted </photoCredit0></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/web1_73258077_2771348222912727_3207731148612435968_n.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">The Wilkes University team is seen following Saturday&#8217;s America250PA Direct Effect Innovation Challenge at the Think Center in Wilkes-Barre. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo1>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/web1_73258077_2771348222912727_3207731148612435968_n.jpg</photo1><caption1>The Wilkes University team is seen following Saturday&#8217;s America250PA Direct Effect Innovation Challenge at the Think Center in Wilkes-Barre. </caption1><photoCredit1>Submitted </photoCredit1></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/web1_DEIC-King-s-College.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">The King&#8217;s College team is seen following Saturday&#8217;s America250PA Direct Effect Innovation Challenge at the Think Center in Wilkes-Barre. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo2>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/web1_DEIC-King-s-College.jpg</photo2><caption2>The King&#8217;s College team is seen following Saturday&#8217;s America250PA Direct Effect Innovation Challenge at the Think Center in Wilkes-Barre. </caption2><photoCredit2>Submitted </photoCredit2></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Roger DuPuis</p><p>rdupuis@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div>

King’s, Wilkes headed to America250PA marketing project finals