The 29th annual Medina County College and Career Fair was held on Wednesday, October 7, 2026, from 6:00 to 7:30 p.m. at the Medina County Fairgrounds/Community Center, 735 Lafayette Road, Medina, Ohio. Over 80 colleges and career-enhancing organizations from Ohio and nearby states participated. Many students, parents, and educators also attended. In addition, helpful financial aid information was offered to all families in attendance, and representatives from several community resource organizations were also present.
This year's event was expanded to include more local businesses that offer training, further education, and internships. An area for student resources provided additional information, such as financial aid for education. These options provided more opportunities for students to “explore their future.”
Listed below are some selected comments received from parents and students who attended:
- Great event! Liked the postcard for kids to get sign-offs. Liked trade school.
- Liked knowing the resources beforehand to plan our route, and so glad they were in alphabetical order for ease of navigation.
- I enjoyed it and it gave my son some things to think about.
Students also had the opportunity to complete an "Education Passport" card, which encouraged them to visit more participating exhibitors’ tables. Every student who turned in a completed passport received a prize from the ESC of Medina County. In addition, all passports were entered into a raffle, and one passport from each school district was drawn. The winning student from each school district received a gift certificate/token from a sponsoring business/company in that district.
Participants were treated to popcorn and water by the ESC and ice cream from the Medina County Sheriff's Department. This encouraged students to linger longer and visit additional exhibitors. Besides, who doesn't like a snack during the early evening hours!
We thank Medina County high school guidance counselors for their support in planning this event and for their commitment to furthering the education and career development of our county’s students. We also express our appreciation to the Medina County Community Center personnel for their on-site assistance. In addition, we commend the 14 students from the Medina County Career Center for volunteering their time to assist as ushers.
The fair was coordinated by the Educational Service Center of Medina County and Medina County Economic Development Corporation. For more information, contact Brenda Zacharias at bzacharias@medinaesc.org.