The USDA found that rural communities have seen declining populations over the past decade. In southwest Kansas, every county has seen a decrease in population. Some counties have seen up to a 20% population loss. However, one group is looking to change those statistics by offering a future for the younger generations of their communities. “We love southwest Kansas and we know people will if they are exposed to it,” said Joe Coles, Independent Education Consultant. It’s an initiative that started out focused on Gray County students alone. First referred to as the Gray County Consortium, it has now expanded its reach beyond the Gray County schools of Cimarron, Ingalls, and South Gray and has set its sights on southwest Kansas as a whole.
Source: KSN-TV
