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.
