Wabash County high school students visit Statehouse

Wabash County, IN  – Grow Wabash County’s county-wide high school entrepreneurship and career focused program brought students to the Indiana Statehouse as part of the AIM (Accelerating Indiana’s Municipalities) Legislative Day Event, giving students an inspiring look at the future of business, entrepreneurship, and career opportunities in Indiana.

"It was impactful for the students to see the amount of activity at the statehouse. The questions they asked were insightful, and their thirst for more understanding was encouraging. Opportunities like this are vital for the development of our county as these students are our future business owners, governmental leaders and hopefully, residents," said Shelly Leifer, Comptroller of Manchester Community Schools.

A highlight of the visit was meeting Justice Goff, a Wabash County Southwood High School graduate who has gone on to make significant contributions at the state level. Goff shared insights about his career journey, the value of early engagement in civic and entrepreneurial opportunities and encouraged students to pursue their passions with purpose. His story served as a tangible example of how Wabash County students can achieve meaningful impact in and beyond the local community.

"We are trying to empower Wabash County's next generation to step out of the classroom and into the heart of Indiana’s government, where today’s students become tomorrow’s civic leaders.  Getting boots on the ground experience, by witnessing the legislative process, will hopefully give Wabash County youth inspiration to become involved in local governance.  As I and other leaders age, we need the younger generation to step up and replace us in our positions, this is the seed being planted," said Mayor Long, City of Wabash Mayor.

“This experience gave our students from the whole county a real-world perspective on how entrepreneurship, innovation, and public policy intersect,” said Jana Thibos, Investor Services and Event Project Manager of Grow Wabash County. “They left inspired and equipped to pursue their own business ideas while contributing to the growth of our community.”

Grow Wabash County’s Square One Developer program focuses on preparing the next generation of leaders through hands-on learning, visits to local businesses, and exposure to local and state resources. The Statehouse visit reinforced the organization’s commitment to nurturing entrepreneurship, career readiness, and community engagement in Wabash County.