N-O Community Discussed Improvements At reVision Meeting

Gregg Christensen led the discussion and brainstorming for the break-out groups.

On Thursday over the lunch hour, Neligh-Oakdale community members and business owners got together to brainstorm for the first session of the reVISION Community Engagement Meeting.

Dozens of people gathered to discuss strategies for preparing students for the future, programs of study, steps in choosing a career path and classes. 

Gregg Christensen is an entrepreneurship work-based learning specialists with the Nebraska Department of Education who lead the meeting. He said that the meeting was all about dialog and working together.
 
April Knust, the N-O High School guidance teacher, sees the importance of this brainstorming meeting.
 
“Our curriculum needs to change, our work with the community needs to change and our kids need those exposers to careers,” Knust said.  “That’s the big thing.”
 
Although Knust hopes to continue taking steps like the reVision meetings, she knows that improvements can't come with only her vision.
 
“The thing is, it can’t be just my vision,” she said. “It has to be everyone’s vision.”
 
During the one hour and a half meeting, community members and business owners explained what they think could help students in the future. They also explained what other opportunities students could benefit from in the community.
 
Knust believes this conversation is key for the changes that will be made.
 
“I love the community input, because we can’t do what we do without it,” Knust said. “If we don’t know what the community wants then how can we make those changes? And they had good input.”

Another meeting will be held on Thursday evening from 6:30 - 8 p.m. for those who were not able to attend the first. 
 
There will be another meeting in January or February to discuss that the compiled data means and what the next step will be.