A new program is currently underway at Greene County Elementary School.

Principal Scott Johnson says the the Community Business Partners Program allows 20 businesses in the county to sponsor a classroom of students. Kindergarten through fourth graders are then engaged with that business three times throughout the school year. The first interaction is when representatives of that business visit the classroom. Then students get to visit the business for their second trip. Johnson points out the third meeting is whatever the business wants to do with the students.

He says the goal of the program is to allow elementary students to achieve part of the district’s mission, which is to provide real-world learning opportunities. He describes the feedback he’s been hearing since the program kicked off earlier this school year. “It’s been great. I think everybody, when I went to talk to businesses, they were very excited about the prospect. And several of them (asked) ‘When can we get started? When can we get started?’ And the teachers have really liked it so far. I think the kids are learning about different businesses and what it takes to be in the business. Another piece of that is that the business are talking to the kids about character and what it actually takes to be an employee.”

Johnson is hoping that by the time a kindergarten student is a fourth grader, they will have experienced five different businesses.