Leadership Program to Continue in Blackford County
From the Blackford County Schools Board meeting on October 27, 2026
Leaders of the youth-leadership program serving Blackford County Schools pledged October 27 to finish the program students have already begun, despite recent organizational changes.
Dr. John Anderson, facilitator for the Blackford County Leadership Group, appeared with interim executive director Tisha Gearhart and board chair C.S. Hendershot. Anderson described the local group as a partnership with the academy and Blackford County Schools.
The partnership follows an August 18 presentation in which Shafer Leadership Academy representatives proposed expanding their youth program to Blackford. Students are now participating.
The visiting leaders said they remained committed to completing the current program. They also want to build enough local capacity for the district's high school to continue the leadership work after this cycle ends.
Anderson said similar concerns had arisen in Muncie Community Schools and Ball State-associated charter schools, where programs were allowed to continue under a revised plan. The Blackford board took no vote following the update.
Source: YouTube transcript — Blackford County - Schools Board Meeting - October 27, 2026
Some information may be inaccurate due to video audio quality.
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