Lebanon Rotary Highlights Community Based Education and Service
At this week’s Rotary Club meeting at The Wallace Building, Lebanon Now was on site to share the stories of service that make Rotary such an important part of the Lebanon community.
Today’s guest speaker was Jaymes Wapp, director of Alternative Education at Hillcrest Education Center. He shared how Hillcrest’s community based education program supports Lebanon R3 students who face challenges that make traditional school more difficult. The program gives students a smaller, supportive environment where they can catch up on credits, build confidence, and prepare for life after high school.
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A major part of the program is Community Based Instruction. Students learn job skills by working with local businesses such as Taste of Andy’s, 2 Fish Marine, the City of Lebanon, and others. These hands-on experiences help students explore careers, discover their strengths, and gain real-life work experience.
Nancy with Andy’s 417 also spoke about welcoming students into her business. She shared that one of her employees began in the program nine years ago and is still with the company today.
Hillcrest also uses the Jobs for America’s Graduates program to teach leadership, workplace skills, and career planning. Staff continue checking in with students for a full year after graduation to support their next steps.
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Hillcrest has served students for 26 years, and many former students return to share how the program changed their lives. This long-term impact shows why community based education is an important part of the district.
The Rotary Club continues to be a place where service, leadership, and community involvement come together. Anyone interested in joining can reach out to Jase Glendenning, Melinda Fries, or any Rotarian.
Lebanon Now believes stories like these deserve to be told. If you have a community feature to share, email our reporter Sarah Hampton at sarah@lebanonmonow.com.
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