Creativity is a power that challenges our thinking, broadens our horizons and enriches our lives.  This year’s students combined creative thinking, teamwork, technology and a commitment to bring Toyota Motor Manufacturing, West Virginia (TMMWV) yet another holiday card to be distributed worldwide. The same skills these students used to produce our holiday card are the same skills our team members use in their jobs on a daily basis.

The creativity is represented in the card’s overall design. This year’s card is a tri-fold – something we’ve never had before – and it incorporates a collage of photos of our team members.

The focus on teamwork came from the students. Since the class is small – consisting of only 3 students - they decided to present individual cards for Toyota’s review. After a preliminary decision was made, the students turned their attention to one card and worked together to refine it as a team.

The winning concept began as a “joke card”.  It was laid aside in a pile of discarded concepts that were not to be formally presented to Toyota. But something about it caught the eye of External Affairs Specialist Laquita Harris, who coordinates the holiday card program. The students were asked to revamp the card and they rose to the challenge.

This year’s winning students are Emily Clower, Anne McCleary and Caleb Pitchford. (Clower and Pitchford are pictured above). Each will receive a check for $350 intended to foster future endeavors. The group was recognized in a public ceremony on Thursday, January 24 at the Putnam Career and Technical Center in Eleanor.

The contest is a classroom project that provides the students with design experience and gives them valuable training in researching the customer, developing concepts, incorporating technology into design and presenting the final concepts in a professional manner.

John Myers, corporate administration manager at TMMWV, says, “We continue to be impressed with the product we receive from the students at the Putnam Career and Technical Center. This card is used globally and allows us to showcase the talents of the student in Putnam County West Virginia to a large and very diverse audience.”