Greene County was recently announced as a recipient of a grant that will help young people improve their lives.

Program Coordinator Peg Dohrer says the Teen Outreach Program gives students the opportunity to engage with people in the community to improve their lives, their potential careers, communication skills and build resumes through service learning projects.  A key part of the program is reviewing and analyzing how students benefit from those projects.  Dohrer points out what she wants the class to become.

“It’s a model where the teacher and myself kind of stand back and let the youth rise to be the leaders in the classroom and set their own goals.  We want these ideas to come from them (with the) planning and the practicing of the service learning to come from them.”

It is a four-year grant through the Iowa Department of Public Health.  Greene County was one of only ten counties in the state to be pre-selected for the funds.  It will start October 8th and run for 16 weeks in the alternative school in the Greene County Community School District.

One requirement for the grant is 100 percent community match through donations and other services.  Dohrer is looking for businesses and individuals who can be speakers or allow students to come to their business.  Contact her at 712-792-9266, extension 202 at the New Opportunities Office in Carroll or email her at pdohrer@newopp.org.