Small Town Revitalization

CROPS uses the “small town revitalization” platform for youth development, empowerment, and character education, through service learning projects. Our underlying objective is to encourage at-risk youth to find positive ways to share their unique resourcefulness and creativity to revitalize the village.

This project, still in its infancy, will integrate two research-based strategies: intergenerational interviewing (appreciate inquiry) and asset-based community development. These strategies, made famous by the Imagine Chicago Movement, have been successfully implemented in hundreds of communities on six continents over the last ten years.

San Pierre Revitalization Project Goal Chart

In an effort to keep the community informed of the San Pierre Revitalization Project’s financial progress, Beverly Santicola challenged the Youth Leadership Committee to design a creative Goal Chart that would be placed in the commons with a moving scale.

The Goal Chart capitalizes on the sand hill crane migration that brings more than 30,000 visitors through San Pierre each year, and integrates a skateboarder theme so that it appeals to an intergenerational audience. The crane is holding a skateboard that can be pivoted up the skateboard ramp as we reach higher levels of funding. Designers of the goal chart include: Dan Egolf, Jon Egolf, Jeff Jacobsma, Melissa Paulsen, Nathalee Milo, Jon Robbins, Autumn Schumacher, and Deana West. Angelique and Max Milo of Jonquil Designs in Knox provided the educational instruction and equipment.