Pastor Greg Gilberto, accompanied by several community leaders and organizers, coordinated a special meet-and-greet event Friday, July 7 at Northpoint Nazarene Church. The purpose of the gathering was to introduce the newly appointed superintendent of the Poplar Bluff School District, Dr. Aaron Cornman, and the new area representative for the Southeast Missouri Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Darrin Scott.
The event aimed to establish a sense of community support and collaboration among faith leaders, pastors and the school district.
Gilberto emphasized the importance of welcoming and supporting the new leaders in the community as they undertake the responsibility of guiding the school system in the right direction.
“We feel it’s very, very important to pray over our leaders as they gain the wisdom to lead our school system into the right direction,” Gilberto has said.
The welcoming event provided an opportunity for Cornman and Scott to introduce themselves to the community and discuss what they hoped to achieve in their positions. Attendees were encouraged to ask questions and discuss future plans to enhance the educational experience for students in the area. Scott highlighted the mission of the FCA.
“The ultimate goal for FCA is to help every coach and athlete develop a relationship with Jesus Christ and their church,” he said.
Scott also shed light on the challenges faced by today’s youth, citing alarming statistics on depression, anxiety and thoughts of suicide among student-athletes and coaches.
Addressing the audience, Cornman expressed his commitment to establishing strong relationships and fostering open communication with the community, leaders, students and families. Reflecting on the evolving landscape of education, he acknowledged the increasing complexity of students’ social and emotional needs.
“Kids have all types of social, emotional baggage that they bring to school,” Cornman explained. “It’s important that we work together with our faith-based partners and groups to meet the needs of these kids, as those needs have completely changed.”
Cornman, drawing upon his personal journey, mentioned his experience as a cheerleader at Three Rivers College and shared that he had lived in a trailer behind Rushin Chiropractic during that period of his life. He expressed his belief that divine destiny had placed him in his current position.
“God sees our life from the beginning to the end, he knows what’s going to happen. So he put me in this place for a reason, according to his purpose,” he said.
Cornman concluded by expressing his hopes for collaborative efforts to improve the district for the benefit of students, community leaders and members.
Gilberto stated that the event aimed not only to provide a warm welcome to the new additions to the district, but also to foster connections between pastors, community leaders and the school.