Indianapolis, Indiana – The Education Workforce Innovation Network (EWIN) has awarded a $9,000 planning grant to Genesis: Pathways to Success, an initiative of the Ripley County Community Foundation. This innovative project aims to create a pathway for future entrepreneurs and those interested in expanding existing business in Ripley County. To develop partnerships that leverage more mentoring and internships for area students, Genesis will partner with the Indiana Virtual Academy, South Ripley School Corporation, Oldenburg Academy, Southeastern Indiana Regional Planning Commission, McDonald’s of Southeastern Indiana, Eagle3 Resource Group LLC, Milan Community School Corporation, Friendship State Bank, German American Bank, Batesville Community School Corporation, Jac-Cen-Del Community School Corporation, Southeastern Career Center and Daniel Fayette LLC.
Cheryll Obendorf, Director, Genesis: Pathways to Success said,​”We are pleased to receive this planning grant and are thrilled for the opportunity to work with the EWIN team on this important project. The grant and technical support from EWIN will assist us as we develop programs, tools and resources to help aspiring entrepreneurs launch successful enterprises that will have a lasting, positive impact on our local economy.”
The Ripley County Core and Advisory teams have an established history partnering on innovative projects. They are working to incorporate online curriculum offerings to supplement high school students’ classroom time and support adults who want to add professional training. The project also involves enhancing career exploration in middle school by introducing entrepreneurship, business and ethics.
The Ripley County Team will use EWIN funds for travel to in-state and out-of state site visits where they will study best practices for starting entrepreneurship and business expansion training. Grant funds also support expenses incurred for planning meetings.
The EWIN grant planning period is October 8, 2019 through May 29, 2020, and this group will meet during that time and beyond to plan and structure sustainable school and business partnerships. This is EWIN’s fifth round of planning grants offered to education-workforce partnerships across the state to support development of implementation plans for regional or local sector-based career pathways. Pathways help make students college and career ready, inspire curricular programs grounded in the real world, engage businesses in K-16 learning experiences and provide the local workforce with highly skilled employees.
EWIN is an initiative of the Center of Excellence in Leadership of Learning (CELL), an education non-profit at the University of Indianapolis that unites districts, schools, communities, universities and businesses to build a sense of urgency and form innovative collaborations for statewide educational and economic improvement.
For more information, contact EWIN Assistant Director Pam Warner at 317-791-5927.
