The 10th annual Neighborhood IDEA Conference brought together more than 100 dedicated community members for a day of networking, workshops, and inspiration on March 8 at Ball State University’s L.A. Pittenger Student Center.

This year’s sessions covered a range of topics, from political action and leadership development to project planning and community engagement.

The event was hosted by Building Better Neighborhoods, Muncie Action Plan and Shafer Leadership Academy. Contributing sponsors include Ball State’s Office of Community Engagement, City of Muncie, Woof Boom, Ball Brothers Foundation, The Community Foundation of Muncie & Delaware County, HOPE, and the Muncie Sanitary District.

One standout presentation came from the inaugural class of CenterPoint Scholars, a leadership academy designed to equip neighborhood advocates with essential skills in advocacy, conflict resolution, and project management. Napoleon Price Jr., an academy participant, shared insights from his experience launching a free food fridge initiative to support local families.

“I got involved with CenterPoint Scholars because it offered me an opportunity to get some valuable tools as far as running a neighborhood meeting, managing conflict … essential leadership skills that I didn’t feel I had until after completing this 12-month program,” Price said.

“It felt good to present our project at the IDEA conference,” he said, adding that he hopes it makes a difference for families who visit the fridge locations (currently at The Common Market, with other locations in the works).

A highlight of the event was the annual Neighborhood Awards, recognizing outstanding efforts to enhance local neighborhoods. South Central and Whitely neighborhoods received awards for the most trash collected during their 2024 clean-up days.

Whitely also received the Neighborhood Project of the Year award for its Whitely Summer Reading Program. The program, for Longfellow Elementary School students, was designed to combat the “summer slide” and encourage literacy. The program, launched by the Whitely Education Committee, challenged students to log at least 20 minutes of daily reading throughout June and July. Participants also took part in an essay contest based on their summer reading, with winners receiving prizes such as bicycles, STEM kits, and an Oculus Quest 2. The program had more than 80 students participating, reading 500 books with more than 23,400 minutes of reading recorded.

The Neighborhood Leader of the Year award went to Courtney Marsh of the Southside Neighborhood. Since joining her neighborhood association in 2019, Marsh has played a key role in fostering community engagement and positive change.

“I was completely honored to receive [this award,]” Marsh said. “I am beyond blessed to be recognized for the many achievements in 2024, and I can’t wait to see what this next year will bring.”

Marsh emphasized the importance of community involvement, noting that neighborhood associations provide invaluable opportunities. “Being a part of a neighborhood association allows you to make great connections with not only your neighbors, but your city,” she said. “It also provides an opportunity to be a part of the change for the best.”

Networking with other neighborhood advocates is always a big hit with attendees. “My favorite part of IDEA is gathering with people who share a common goal of being a piece of Muncie’s history,” Marsh said. “Sharing resources, stories, and hopes for the future is what makes this event so special.”

New this year was a celebration of award winners, presenters and planners the evening before the conference at the David Owsley Museum of Art at Ball State.

“We were excited to add this element to the IDEA program this year to celebrate the conference’s 10th anniversary and to highlight the inaugural graduating class of CenterPoint Scholars,” said Heather Williams, Associate Director for Community Engagement and Program Manager for Building Better Neighborhoods at Ball State, and Muncie Action Plan (MAP) president. “We showcased past Neighborhood Project of the Year and Neighborhood Leader of the Year winners and announced the 2024 winners. We also celebrated the graduation of our CenterPoint Scholars from the 2024-2025 program and announced our new cohort. And we took some time to thank our funders for their continued support and dedication to grassroots leadership development. It was truly a night for celebration!”

For more information about neighborhood initiatives and future events, visit http://www.muncieneighborhoods.org.