Business, education and civic leaders in Christian County are urging the community to take a more active role in shaping the local workforce as the school district prepares for the consolidated high school.
The call to action came during this morning’s Christian County Chamber of Commerce Eye Opener Breakfast, where speakers shared the importance of student success and how it depends on collaboration between schools, employers and community partners.
“Education does not happen in isolation,” said Taylor Hayes, president of the Christian County Chamber of Commerce. “It thrives when businesses, organizations, and neighbors step forward as partners. Education serves the entire community, not just the schools.”
Hayes told the audience that education and workforce development are closely connected and that investment in students benefits the entire region.
“When we say our schools, our students, we acknowledge that student success impacts us all,” he said.
Local business leaders echoed that message. United Southern Bank, a longtime supporter of education projects, sponsored the event.
“At United Southern Bank, part of our mission statement is empowering employees to build relationships,” said Martha Steil of United Southern Bank. “Because we firmly believe that when students succeed, communities thrive.”
Christian County High School Executive Principal Ken Carver said the district’s efforts represent more than a structural change — they reflect a shift in how education is delivered and supported.
“Transforming high school education isn’t something that educators do alone,” Carver said. “It happens when a community comes together to create opportunities, shared ownership, and pride in a school that we can all say is ours.”
The keynote speaker, Dr. Kimberly Fifer, a nationally recognized education leader, said communities across the country face similar challenges when trying to connect schools and employers. Fifer serves as director of educational innovation at the Central Indiana Educational Service Center and works with communities implementing the Ford Next Generation Learning model.
“We are all partners in educating our students to be our future workforce,” Fifer said. “So we don’t think of it as school and community. We bring you together so that you can be community in unison.”
Fifer said Christian County is approaching what she described as a milestone moment, as the district prepares to open its new academy-model high school that will unite Hopkinsville and Christian County high schools and the career technical center under one roof.
Under the academy model, students will be organized into career-focused learning communities that integrate core academic subjects with career and technical education. The goal, Fifer said, is to give students clearer connections between classroom learning and future career paths.
The transformation also includes a renewed focus on coordinated, long-term partnerships with employers — rather than one-time classroom visits or career fair appearances.
That effort was reinforced with the announcement of the Powerful Partnerships Initiative, a collaboration between Christian County Public Schools and the Chamber of Commerce.
“Today we are proud to announce that we are launching the Powerful Partnerships Initiative,” said Cody Noffsinger, chairperson of Pre-K to Biz. “It will be in collaboration with the Chamber of Commerce from a recruitment side to help find business community partners who are committed to making sure that this new transformational education system is a success.”
Sandra Hancock, academy coach at Christian County High School, said partnerships do not require overwhelming commitments to have a meaningful impact.
“Partnership doesn’t mean doing everything, it means doing something meaningful,” Hancock said.
She said businesses can support students by hosting tours, offering job shadowing opportunities, serving on advisory councils or providing internships. According to Hancock, Christian County Public Schools graduates about 600 students each year, with more than 200 entering the workforce immediately. Last year, seniors earned more than 600 industry certifications.
“When our community believes in our students, there’s truly no limit to what we can achieve,” she said.
Speakers encouraged attendees to share what they learned with others and to consider how their organizations might support students as the district moves forward with its new education model.
Leaders said the long-term success of the transformation will depend on sustained collaboration among schools, businesses and community partners — working together to prepare students for college, careers and life beyond graduation.
