Spring Valley Education to Economic Prosperity March 11th

           A coalition of major stakeholders and education advocates in Spring Valley will hold a community wide forum on Tuesday March 11^th on the new importance of education in determining the economic prospects for the city and its residents. The meeting will be held at the Spring Valley City Hall in its City Hall Community Room, 215 N. Greenwood St. beginning at 6:30pm.

The sponsors of the forum are Hall Township High School, Illinois Valley Community College, City Spring Valley, Spring Valley Boosters, Spring Valley Partners for Progress, and the North Central Regional Betterment Coalition.

The featured speakers include Hall High School Superintendent Michael Struna, who will cover the impact of the most recent High School Performance Report Card, and IVCC President Dr. Jerry Corcoran who will draw the line from academic achievement to economic prosperity in a rapidly changing world.

According to Spring Valley Economic Development Director Debb Ladgenski, “the meeting is intended for any resident of Spring Valley concerned about the future of their children, and/or the future of Spring Valley as a vibrant community.”

Corcoran, who did 28 similar presentations across the college’s district in 2012-13, added, “All available data shows us how important a college education is to lifetime earnings. Individuals with even one-year certificates, let alone advanced degrees, can expect to make hundreds of thousands more over their working lives.”

“Our mission is to get that message out; this event is an excellent opportunity to do just that.”

Struna added, “Where we are now and where we need to go cannot be accomplished in a vacuum. I look forward to this opportunity to engage the residents of Hall Township in the process of further building an education process that prepares our students for the best future which awaits them”