Tech Valley student urges continued funding; faculty association defends FFA support

At the board’s open forum on Jan. 12, student Myra Rivera urged the Greenville Central School District to continue funding student access to Tech Valley, describing project-based learning, career-exploration weeks and internships as formative experiences.

"We do project-based learning ... it helps you with the real world," Rivera said, recounting that Tech Valley offers career experiences and iTerm opportunities that helped her gain hands-on experience and career exposure. She asked the board to "continue funding all the students that you can to go to Tech Valley."

Later in the public-comment period, Brenda Shulvis, speaking on behalf of the Greenbelt Faculty Association, addressed statements made at the Nov. 17 board meeting about the FFA and a Greenville student who ran for New York National FFA office. Shulvis said advisors encouraged the student and created supportive materials and that, although the Greenville FFA did not attend the national convention this year, the student was supported. She also responded to concerns about misuse of funds, saying the district-approved funds for convention travel were not used because eligible students did not attend and therefore "there was not an abuse of funds by this club."

Board members thanked speakers and noted that the presentations are timely as the district enters budget season.

Next steps: board members said the budget work Hilgendorf described will make program-funding decisions more concrete in February and March presentations.