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YOUNGSVILLE - Youngsville Borough Mayor Catrina Leamon used her report at last week's Borough Council meeting to encourage residents to support one another, embrace new community traditions and focus on the future following the closure of Youngsville High School.
In an emotional and passionate address, Leamon thanked residents for the everyday acts of kindness that help make Youngsville a welcoming place to live. She also praised community members who helped decorate the borough for fall and organize homecoming festivities that brought students and families together.
"Thank you to every person in this town who helped a neighbor, is helping a neighbor, plans to help a neighbor," Leamon said. She cited simple gestures such as checking on someone, mowing a lawn, taking out the trash or lending a helping hand as examples of actions that strengthen the community.
Leamon said she was particularly impressed by this year's homecoming celebration.
She credited those who helped bring students from the Eisenhower and Youngsville areas together for the parade and other events, saying the festivities created a stronger connection between the school and the broader community.
Leamon said she had spoken with parents from Sugar Grove and Russell who appreciated having homecoming activities centered in Youngsville rather than primarily at the school.
"This year felt different. It felt like an actual community celebration," she said.
Leamon expressed hope that the event would become a new tradition and encourage more Eisenhower/Youngsville families to participate in future celebrations.
Leamon also addressed the lingering effects of the closure of Youngsville High School, acknowledging the difficulty of the transition while urging residents to move forward.
"The closure of our high school was difficult. There is absolutely no denying that," she said. "That chapter is behind us. That page has turned, and now we have to move forward together."
She pushed back against statements that Youngsville no longer has a school, noting that the borough’s K-8 school continues to serve hundreds of students.
Leamon said 357 students attend the school each day, emphasizing that the closure of the high school does not diminish the importance of the remaining school, its teachers and administrators or the families it serves.
She said those students eventually move on to Eisenhower, making community events such as homecoming important opportunities to build relationships and reinforce connections across the district.
Her remarks underscored the importance of maintaining a strong sense of community despite the changes brought about by the high school closure.
Leamon also expressed optimism about plans to redevelop the former Youngsville Middle High School building, which Warren County is seeking to repurpose for county services and employment opportunities.
The Warren County School District board unanimously approved the county’s proposed renovation plan for the property on Monday. The first phase calls for relocating the county’s Department of Human Services, Children and Youth Services and Penn State Extension office into the building.
The proposal is intended to put the former school to productive use while bringing employees and visitors to Youngsville.
Leamon said the potential benefits extend beyond the building itself, pointing to the opportunities created when people travel to the borough for work or appointments.
She said visitors might stop at a grocery store, visit the post office, buy coffee, have lunch downtown or meet family members for dinner.
Those visits, she said, could create additional business for local merchants and help keep activity in the community.
"Personally, I welcome those opportunities, and I hope our businesses do too," Leamon said.
The school board’s approval moves the renovation proposal forward. County officials have outlined plans to advance the design process, with construction previously targeted for spring and early 2027 and occupancy anticipated during the second half of 2027. Those milestones remain dependent on the project’s next steps.
Leamon acknowledged that not every proposal or development effort succeeds, but argued that setbacks should not prevent the borough from pursuing new opportunities.
"Failure is part of progress, and that’s life," she said, encouraging residents to focus on what can be done next rather than dwelling exclusively on past disappointments.
She invited residents to bring concerns to council, emphasizing that respectful dialogue and practical suggestions can help the borough address problems.
"If you’re going to bring a concern, then bring some possible solutions," Leamon said.
She added that residents should not assume borough officials have heard every possible idea, encouraging people to share suggestions that could help improve the community.
Leamon stressed that criticism can be valuable when it leads to constructive conversations and potential solutions.
The mayor concluded her report by expressing hope that residents would recognize kindness, pass it along and take opportunities to strengthen the borough.
Her remarks centered on a broader message. Youngsville’s future will depend not only on redevelopment projects and economic opportunities, but also on the willingness of residents to work together, support local institutions and treat one another with respect.