Students in the Rockdale Youth Leadership program took a tour of paper recycler Pratt Industries on Tuesday for their business and industry day.

While students are sleeping in on this day off, the 2012-13 class of Rockdale Youth Leadership is busy. To start the day, they heard about work-based learning from coordinator Jeff Rogers. J. Middlebrooks, president of E. Smith Box, talked to the students about her business and how it operates. Lorraine Harrison gave an overview of the Conyers-Rockdale Chamber of Commerce and how it supports business. They toured several businesses, including Pratt Industries, Courtesy Ford, and Acuity.

The RYL program is a joint effort among the Rockdale County Public School system, the Conyers-Rockdale Chamber of Commerce, the STARS Community Partnership and RCPS Work-Based Learning. New this year is a job shadowing component as well as more opportunities to meet with community leaders and business people.