Ohio Leaders Visit BGR to See Mentorship in Motion

On May 9, BGR hosted Ohio Senator George Lang and education leaders to see how mentorship and packaging deliver long-term value—through its Adopt-A-Class partnership.

WHY IT MATTERS

The visit spotlighted how BGR’s partnership with Adopt-A-Class is equipping students with early exposure to careers—through activities that emphasize teamwork, generosity, and hands-on learning—and how statewide support could bring this impact to more classrooms across Ohio.

THE BIG PICTURE

BGR mentors three local classrooms at Wildwood and Hartwell elementary schools through monthly visits that blend hands-on learning, career exploration, and real-time interaction with BGR’s packaging experts. The program fosters confidence in students while building meaningful connections between BGR team members and the next generation of Ohio’s workforce.

United by a common purpose—we believe every student has potential worth investing in. BGR’s team is proud to help unpack it, one classroom at a time.

THE HIGHLIGHTS

• Behind-the-scenes tour: Guests experienced BGR’s West Chester facility to see our operations and team in action—spotlighting the connection between packaging and our purpose.
• Real conversations: Senator Lang spoke directly with BGR team members who shared how volunteering with Adopt-A-Class builds leadership, cross-functional collaboration, and pride in BGR’s mission. (Unpack Potential. Deliver Value.)
• Mentorship in motion: Team members explained how the program engages students year-round—from classroom visits and hands-on career activities to our annual December food drive.
• Big-picture impact: The visit was part of the State of Ohio’s broader review as it considers expanding funding for Adopt-A-Class to reach more students statewide.
  

“It’s not just for the students—it helps us grow as leaders and teammates.”

— BGR Volunteer

BY THE NUMBERS

• 4 state and community leaders in attendance
• 3 years of participation by BGR
• 100s of lives impacted for the better—students, families, and teammates alike
  

HOW IT WORKS

BGR supports three classrooms, with five BGR team members assigned to each class.

• Monthly mentorship: BGR team members lead monthly classroom sessions where students explore careers, teamwork, and the power of giving back.
• Practical & fun activities:  BGR’s annual food drive turns packaging into a fun, hands-on lesson in hard work & generosity—as students help pack food for families in need.
• Field trip finale: Each year wraps with a field trip to BGR, where students meet the team at their workplace, tour the facility, and see their classroom learning in action.

“Being part of Adopt A Class helps me live out BGR’s purpose and reminds me why what we do matters.”

— BGR Team Member

“Programs like Adopt-A-Class don’t just impact students—they energize our team and strengthen our community. It’s one more way we deliver value that lasts beyond our day-to-day work—by investing in young people’s futures.”

— Phil Schneider, BGR CEO & President.

WHAT'S NEXT

If adopted, new state funding could enable more Ohio companies to participate—multiplying the impact and creating a deeper talent pipeline for the future.

THE BOTTOM LINE

When we unpack the potential of our future citizens, we all win together.
This visit was a spotlight on BGR’s purpose—to unpack potential and deliver value—starts with our people and extends “beyond the box”, into our community.

Explore Adopt-A-Class and how your company can get involved

Read the Press release

ABOUT BGR

BGR is a national distributor of industrial packaging supplies, automation equipment for manufacturers, distributors, and e-commerce companies. We are your packaging experts: delivering ROI focused solutions that put you in control.