It seems everywhere I look these days, I see growth.

Michiana is showing the most literal representation of growth in nature. The leaves have finally begun to cover trees, grass is growing and spring blossoms are popping up everywhere you turn.

Reflecting the blossoming landscape, many facets of Michiana are growing as well. Businesses are opening all over the region, providing new economic opportunities to the residents who live here, and drawing people from outside the region to showcase all our communities have to offer. Downtown districts are filling up, and it’s refreshing to see so many open doors and fresh faces.

School systems are working as hard as ever to provide new and innovative learning opportunities. The number of ways students are able to learn — from online learning, traditional classroom, Montessori, advanced placement, dual-enrollment, career and technical education and many more — continues to grow, as do the partnerships our school districts are making with area colleges and universities.

This growth, which has been snowballing over the past decade or so, has made a noticeably positive impact on our local students.

It is no longer uncommon to see students graduate high school with a significant amount of college credits accrued, and several are even receiving college degrees before their high school diplomas.

Schools also continue to take a great interest in the environment students learn in, and the tools they use to do so. Niles schools recently passed a school bond to improve their facilities, Cassopolis schools are working to do the same, and residents of Edwardsburg, Dowagiac and Brandywine school districts continue to renew past millages, all investing in the future of not only our students, but our communities.

Last week, I had the opportunity to interview a handful of applicants for a scholarship through the Michigan Gateway Community Foundation. I was awestruck by the number of opportunities these students boasted having taken advantage of, and the sheer diversity of learning options in which they had participated. Each of these students were bright, professional and leaps and bounds ahead of many teenagers.

Because of the growth in our communities and school districts, the future generation of leaders is blossoming into a group of impressive young adults.

The future is looking bright for Michiana — naturally, commercially, educationally and personally. It really is great to see so much growth.

 

Ambrosia Neldon is the managing editor at Leader Publications. She can be reached by phone at (269) 687-7713, or by email at ambrosia.neldon@leaderpub.com.