Greensburg agribusiness students present their My Community, My Vision

Therein lays a project that envisions such matters.

Greensburg Community High School agribusiness students presented their My Community, My Vision projects to city officials and community members on Thursday, affirming their ideas and opinions that could affect the Tree City in the years to come.

According to the Indiana Housing and Community Development Authority (IHCDA), young adults from Greensburg, Greenfield, Shelbyville and Crawfordsville were selected to participate this year in the My Community, My Vision (MCMV) project along with what are known as Local Units of Governments (LUGs). The project was established in 2014 and was developed with the belief that young people should not have to leave their hometown community to chase and achieve their dreams.

“I want students to be able to experience being a part of a solution-creating, positive change in their community,” Schneider said about MCMV earlier in the school year.

Now that students have officially given the community stakeholder presentations, agriculture teacher Greg Schneider understands that this is just the beginning.

“After we have developed the initial plan, it’s important to assess community-level buy-in and then adjust the plan based on suggestions,” Schneider said. “The Community Stakeholder presentation is one of the final steps in the MCMV process. There was a lot of valuable feedback at the meeting. Students will incorporate community suggestions and begin preparing for the culminating presentation to the Lt. Governor in April.”

But, again, what makes this project so special to community members is that it potentially lets students know that – right here in Greensburg – they can thrive and improve their hometown without leaving.

“The long-term success of any community is routed in its youth and their desire to return and/or stay as productive members of the community,” said Schneider. “I believe this is recognized by all -- everyone that is working to make Greensburg-Decatur County a vibrant and progressive community. For this reason, we have enjoyed tremendous support from many civic organizations and local government agencies here in Greensburg-Decatur County.”

City of Greensburg Mayor Dan Manus was in attendance for the presentation, and indicated that he’s optimistic about the future of the area.

“I felt that it’s really important that they want to come back,” Manus said. “That’s what we want. We want them to come back home and live here.”

One community member who listened to the presentation, Hospital Foundation of Decatur County Director Bryan Robbins, said he was interested in the students’ idea of pulling the agriculture nature of this county and drawing it into the hearts of those in the community. Essentially, he says you have to promote that connection.

“I think it’s great [the project],” Robbins said. “Any time you get a group of kids interested in their community, you have to be really impressed.”

In one instance, Greensburg Community High School agribusiness student, Gabby Burton, spoke of creating partnerships between local businesses and students during the presentation. Some of the points made were to reach out to local businesses and bigger companies, empower professionals to take on student help and recommend job shadowing, which in turn would allow students to be tools to reach out to other companies.

Perhaps these ideas can spark a movement down the road – one where the younger voices will be heard much more often.

One school official is confident that they’re heading down the right path.

“We want good citizens that are going to be making those decisions,” Greensburg Community School Corporation Tom Hunter said. “And I think when you look around this class, you see that group of kids, you know we’re in good hands.”

For Schneider, the support is crucial, and it doesn’t go unnoticed.

“It truly does take a village to raise, or in this case, educate a child,” Schneider said. “We are very fortunate and grateful for the level of support that has been shown for us as we have worked through the many steps of My Community, My Vision. Greensburg-Decatur County is an amazing place to live and work and this level of support is a great example of why this statement is true.”