A 2007 study by the Manhattan Institute found that fewer schools are being named after people. Instead, more schools are being named after local areas or natural features such as hills, trees or animals. The researchers said these changes raise questions about the civic duty of public education.
That is why the new Robert Ontiveros Elementary School in Moline is so special — and such a fitting tribute to the late business leader, who epitomized community engagement, leadership and entrepreneurship, traits that should be embraced and highlighted.
Community leaders described Mr. Ontiveros at the groundbreaking as a pioneering entrepreneur, philanthropist, and business and community leader whose work expanded opportunity and strengthened the cultural and economic vitality of the Quad Cities. Born and raised in Moline’s Floreciente neighborhood, Mr. Ontiveros founded Group O, now one of the largest Hispanic-owned businesses in the United States.
He also played an instrumental role in establishing the Greater Quad Cities Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, the Mercado on Fifth, and numerous youth, workforce and community investment initiatives in his childhood neighborhood. Naming the school in his honor recognizes his lifelong commitment to expanding opportunity, uplifting families and ensuring that education and enterprise serve as pathways to a better future, school district officials said.
Robert Ontiveros Elementary School will consolidate Lincoln-Irving Elementary and nearby Willard Elementary School. The combined school, which recently broke ground, will house kindergarten through fifth grade students in a $33 million modern facility designed to help students thrive. The project will include a 61,000-square-foot addition and a 32,000-square-foot renovation of the existing Lincoln-Irving building.
We congratulate the Ontiveros family on this important and lasting tribute.
EntreFuel’s important role in Clinton
There are numerous approaches to economic development, but the area we find most compelling and important for a region’s long-term success is entrepreneurship. How does a region or community embrace and nurture this important but sometimes elusive approach?
We appreciate Grow Clinton’s effort to partner with NewBoCo, Iowa’s leading entrepreneurial coaching nonprofit, to launch EntreFuel with a two-year agreement.
EntreFuel is a comprehensive initiative designed to support startups, small businesses and established companies looking to grow. The concept is straightforward: Everyone in business has a growth idea, and everyone not yet in business has a startup dream. EntreFuel serves as a testing ground for those ideas, whether it is a first-time founder exploring a concept or a fifth-generation business expanding into new markets.
“Clinton has always had entrepreneurial spirit, but we lacked a centralized hub for training, mentorship, and business development,” said Andy Sokovolich, president of Grow Clinton. “EntreFuel fills that gap by providing the tools, connections, and confidence needed to turn ideas into successful business models.”
Embracing entrepreneurship does not mean Clinton will abandon other economic development strategies such as business recruitment. Rather, it means the region is building a foundation for success that will serve generations to come.
