S04E06 - There is Hope!!! Revitalizing communities through small town investment and educational partnerships, An interview with Jon Chadwell.
About this episode
Jon Chadwell discusses how Newport, Arkansas revitalized its economy through community collaboration and educational partnerships.
Imagine you are in a small town, and several industries have moved out of your community. Many of your citizens have lost their jobs. What do you do now? Meet Jon Chadwell, the Executive Director of the Newport Arkansas Economic Development Commission. Jon’s community rallied together and formalized a plan to revitalize their community. The community worked together to find industries that were previously present in town. The community invested in infrastructure to make the community more marketable to similar industries. They brought in new industries as well. As a manufacturing community, they shifted to invest in other industries, such as technology, by forming a tech depot. Newport shifted to having enough jobs where people from different communities now commute to Newport for their jobs. As a result, Newport has now partnered with the local school system and the local two-year college to provide training for local industry by identifying gaps in the workforce. This is a great episode for those thinking of revitalizing their economic development and employment through partnerships and grant-funded opportunities. About the guest Jon Chadwell is the Executive Director of the…
More episodes of National Rural Education Association Official Podcast
- S05E05 - Rethinking Success: Music Education, Community, and the Power of Rural Schools. An Interview with Dr. Daniel Johnson
- S05E04 - School Choice in Rural America: What’s at Stake. An interview with Dr. Preston Green.
- S05E03 - Making Connections in Rural Math: Jeff Granrud, NREA Teacher of the Year
- S05E02 - Building Momentum: Anticipating the NFARE 2025
- S05E01 - New Voices in Rural Leadership: Introducing Bill Chapman & Melissa Sadorf
- S04E09 - Empowering Rural Education: Lisa Rahn on Career Readiness, UDL, and eDynamic Learning's Impact on Rural Education.
Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the National Rural Education Association Official Podcast podcast page.