MARS — The business association instituted in Mars last year has grown and thrived during the past year, adding members and new partnerships.

Sue Skurka, president and founder of the Mars Area Business Association, said the group now boasts about 20 members from Mars and Adams Township on Route 228 between the Johnson House and Quality Gardens.

“Any businesses that are adjacent to Mars Borough are welcome to join,” Skurka said.

In addition to discussing the optimum customer experience for consumers doing business in Mars, the group is also talking with Mars School District Superintendent Jim Budzilek regarding mentorships and internships for juniors and seniors at the high school.

Skurka said students considering a certain career path after high school can use the program to shadow an employee in the Mars area in that field.

“The student can see what it’s like and see if it is something they would want to pursue,” Skurka said. “They can see what (the employee) does all day long.”

In the internship program, students could use businesses to complete various projects. Skurka gave as an example the high school’s audio-visual club making a 30-second commercial at one of the association’s businesses.

She said the association hopes to partner with the district during the upcoming FlipCon 2014 conference at the district. The event, which will be held in June, will bring 600 educators from across the nation to the school district to share information about the flipped classroom model of education.

Skurka said the association’s members will have booths at the events during FlipCon, and hopes the participants will stop in Mars for a coffee or a bite to eat during the conference.

“One evening, we want to get them downtown and get their picture taken in front of the spaceship,” Skurka said. “It will help showcase our town.”

Mars Mayor Gregg Hartung said he has been impressed with the association’s growth during the past year. He said Mars once had a Chamber of Commerce, but that group has been defunct for several years.

“There has been a need since then for the downtown businesses to work together,” Hartung said.

The mayor also attends the association meetings, which are held at 9 a.m. on the first Thursday of each month at the Mars Brew House coffee shop.

Hartung said Mars businesses may also stay open late during one night of FlipCon, which will give participants an opportunity to visit downtown Mars and its shops and restaurants. He said the Mars Historical Society will also open the museum on that evening.

Representatives from the school district, Hartung said, will attend the June 1 association meeting to hammer out a schedule of collaboration between the two entities for FlipCon.

Hartung said he is also representing the association by talking with the county Tourism and Convention Bureau about new ways to promote Mars. Hartung feels the town’s unique name and spaceship in the town square could be used to draw more people in.

Skurka said any business within the association’s parameters, or any residents, are welcome to attend the meetings on the first Thursday, or send an e-mail to the association at maba@justmath.net.

“We are excited that we’ve made it a year and have kept it going, and we would be thrilled if people would come and visit us at a meeting and give us feedback,” she said.