By Michelle Kinsey—
MUNCIE, IN—The 11th IDEA Conference returned on March 6th with a playful, purposeful nod to Sesame Street, inviting neighborhood leaders to “come and play” while engaging in networking, workshops, and more at Ball State University’s L.A. Pittenger Student Center.
Nearly 130 people attended this year’s sessions, which covered a range of topics, from political action and leadership development to project planning and community engagement.
In one session, led by the Whitely Neighborhood Association, participants played a new Monopoly-style game that celebrated the history of that neighborhood. In another session, city leaders grabbed a “Seat On the Stoop” with participants to discuss various neighborhood development projects.
Some of the participants at this year’s IDEA Conference noted that they were inspired to attend “because I love Muncie and want to learn as much as I can to contribute to my community,” they “want to be more involved in my neighborhood,” and “learn more about my community and the resources and agencies in it.”
IDEA was hosted by Building Better Neighborhoods, Muncie Action Plan, Shafer Leadership Academy, and Ball State University’s Office of Community Engagement. Contributing sponsors include City of Muncie, Ball Brothers Foundation, The Community Foundation of Muncie & Delaware County, HOPE, and the Muncie Sanitary District.
During the event, this year’s graduating CenterPoint Scholars were also recognized and a new cohort was introduced. CenterPoint Scholars is a leadership academy designed to equip neighborhood advocates with essential skills in advocacy, conflict resolution, and project management.
Graduating Scholars were Jasmine Taylor, Joey Scholl III, Sam McCollum, Rachael Robertson, Eliana Heimlich, Isabel Heimlich, and Kiwani Pine. New Scholars are Paige Brown, Elisabeth Edgell, Kim Hampton, Danielle Heimlich, David Robbins, Monique Vargas, and Kylee Tremaine. Several of their projects were featuring during sessions at the conference, including a new neighborhood-focused program/podcast, Porch Light Radio.
A highlight of the event each year is the annual Neighborhood Awards, recognizing outstanding efforts to enhance local neighborhoods. Morningside McCormick and Whitely received the awards for most trash collected during the Spring and Fall 2025 cleanups. Combined, they removed 30,000 tons from our neighborhood streets and alleys!
The 2025 Neighborhood Project and Neighborhood Leader of the Year were awarded to the Old West End neighborhood for its partnership in a multi-million dollar housing regeneration project, and Frank Scott Sr. for his dedication to leadership in the Whitely neighborhood.
For more information about neighborhood initiatives and future events, visit http://www.muncieneighborhoods.org.
