Shafer Leadership Academy Presents Youth Program to Blackford County Council — Vote Set for August 19

From the Blackford County Council Budget Workshop #2 & Regular Meeting on August 5, 2026

Mitch Heitzlix, executive director of the Muncie-based Shafer Leadership Academy, presented a proposed Blackford County Youth Leadership Program to the county council. No vote was taken; the matter is set for the budget appeals hearing on August 19.

The program would cost $25,000 for the 2026-2027 academic year, split into two semester payments. It would serve 15 to 30 high school students, with the first semester focused on leadership principles and community service project proposals, and the second semester on executing those projects. A minimum of 10 students is required for the program to proceed.

Dr. John Anderson, a Schaefer board member and former Ivy Tech dean, would facilitate the program, with a Blackford County Schools teacher assigned as school partner.

The program has run for seven years in three Muncie high schools and three to four years in Tipton, a school system comparable in size to Blackford County Schools.

Economic Development Director Warren Brown reported that funding commitments already exceed $55,000: $25,000 from the county commissioners as a budget line item, $5,000 from the Hartford City Redevelopment Commission, and a commitment from the Economic Development Corporation to cover any gap in year one. Additional requests are pending with the Hartford City Common Council, Montpelier RDC, Montpelier City Council, Community Foundation, and wind and solar companies.

Source: YouTube transcript — Blackford County Council Budget Workshop #2 & Regular Meeting, August 5, 2026

Some information may be inaccurate due to video audio quality.