Howard and Corsica high school students are getting engaged in their comunities through research funded by a grant though the South Dakota Department of Health and Humanities. 

The $49,856 grant was awarded through the Health and Human Services program office of community services from the compassion capital fund targeted capacity building program.  The grant was awarded to Miner County Community Revitalization and the Rural Learning Center.

"The idea is that MCCR and the Rural Learning Center are building our capacity to work with youth effectively in rural America," said MCCR and RLC Research Associate Lindsey Karlson.

The work at MCCR began in 1999 following research projects conducted by high school students that looked at local spending and transfer payments.  The results of those surveys indicated a need for more local spending and the importance of transfer payments to a community.  Transfer payments are government checks for Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid.

"We know it can work because of MCCRs work," Karlson said.  "It's about taking that learning and working to make it a process that others can emulate in their rural communities."

The grant is providing funding that allows for research projects to take place in Howard and Corsica.

In Howard, students are researching their community. 

"The are using place-based education to go out and learn about issues important to the places they are from and bringing that back to the classroom," she said.

The project includes interviews and surveys as well as community presentations.

"It's all directed, hands-on research.  Students are engaged in viability and sustainability of the community," Karlson said.

Karlson said that the research could help spark ideas for additional improvements for Miner County.

"The learning never stops, she said, adding that the research develops the skills of the students.

Projects by the senior high school students in Corsica, which is southwest of Mitchell, give the students research opportunities but makes those opportunities specific to Corsica.

Karlson said students chose one of three areas -- community design, understanding place and entrepreneurship.

The community design program gives students the opportunity to work with landscape architects, city planner, engineers and other officials to develop a picture of what the community wants Corsica to look like 15 years form now.

Students who chose understanding place will gain a better understanding of Corsica through research and find ways that could develop the community further.

For the entrepreneurship area, students will be interviewing entrepreneurs in the area and find out what motivated them to start up some of the new, innovative businesses in the area like a methane digester.

"We're excited.  This year is about us learning and coming up with a product we can develop," Karlson said.   "Youth are probably the most underutilized factor in rural communities.  We're taking that fact and changing it."

At the end of this academic year, Karlson said the results of the program will be complied with additional research taking place at the Rural Learning center and MCCR that deals with developing a framework of how to work with youth in any community.

"We will take what we learn and change and modify it into something that will work for rural America," she said.  "We can't afford to not engage youth.  That's how things can change here."

Engaging youth as students gives them more ownership in their communities.  Karlson said that many even spark interest in students and give them a reason to return to their communities after pursuing further education.