The Pocahontas County Convention and Visitors Bureau hosted the 17th annual Eighth Grade Business Luncheon at Snowshoe Mountain Resort May 11.

"The theme this year was Make Money, Make Yourself Marketable," said Blair Campbell, Pocahontas County CVB board member and chairman of the luncheon committee. "Our goal this year was to educate Pocahontas County eighth graders that tourism is a valuable component to the local economy and there are many opportunities available to students as they begin looking for jobs and making career choices.

"Students participated in three breakout sessions focused on entrepreneurship, using social media wisely and how tourism in Pocahontas County compares to the tourism based economy of Jamaica," Campbell said.

Keynote speaker, Tracy Samples, Director of Human Resources Snowshoe Mountain Resort, used an entertaining cross-generational trivia game to help students recognize that working alongside mature employees in the workplace has much value.She also delivered three main messages to the students:

When entering a career remember the importance of work experience, such as part-time work while in high school.

Drug testing is becoming more common in the workplace.

Use social media responsibly. Samples explained that employers are very savvy when researching job applicants, "anything you say or put on the web is there forever." She used Facebook as a good example.

As part of the the day-long event students also enjoyed a business lunch and a tour through the Village at Snowshoe and the Big Top.