Hey Greene County Residents: Register for Neighborhood Leadership Academy 2024

 

Greene County & Springfield residents: Time to register for Neighborhood Leadership Academy! 

BREAKING NEWS:

Scholarship Deadline: August 1 (do this first if you need a full or partial scholarship).

NLA Scholarship application link: https://bit.ly/4botrUV 

Or apply without a scholarship. Registration Deadline: August 21 (this is the second step if you are waiting to hear on a scholarship or you can do it now if no scholarship is needed or your employer is paying for your class attendance).


BACKGROUND

The Neighborhood Leadership Academy (NLA) is a statewide program that draws adult students from across the state. The program has a 40 year history! Locally, there have been Republic, Springfield and Ash Grove area residents in NLA or a similar class in 2018, 2019, 2022 and 2023.


In 2024, the class will be: Wednesday nights, Sept 11 - Nov 13 (6 p.m. - 9 p.m.)

Enrollment would be in the Southwest Missouri Cohort. People outside of Greene County are welcome since this is a hybrid class.
Class content is provided online. We will also have an opportunity for coffee or lunch once a week for additional networking and idea development.

The Neighborhood Leadership Academy (NLA) provides in-depth and multifaceted leadership training emphasizing community-building principles and strategies, project planning, organizational leadership and management practices, and personal leadership skills.

 

University of Missouri Extension and University of Missouri St Louis jointly offer the program. Nearly 15 instructors representing both institutions lead the online learning statewide and live sessions.

 

Participants in NLA are actively involved in their regions, towns, and neighborhoods and represent communities throughout Missouri. Academy participants may be neighborhood association members, community leaders, resident volunteers, community-based organization staff, business owners, local government staff, and municipal elected officials.

 

More than 400 neighborhood and organization leaders have participated in NLA, learning the skills and building the networks necessary to create whole communities. 

 

SCHOLARSHIP DEADLINE:

Scholarship Deadline: August 1 (do this first if you need a full or partial scholarship).
NLA Scholarship application link: https://bit.ly/4botrUV 

 

APPLY WITHOUT A SCHOLARSHIP

Registration Deadline: August 21 (this is the second step if you are waiting to hear on a scholarship or you can do it now if no scholarship is needed or your employer is paying for your class attendance).

 

LOCAL BONUS:

Graduates of NLA can receive three credit hours from Drury University in Springfield to be used toward a leadership certificate at Drury if you want to further your education.

 

Graduates also can earn grant monies. Here is an article about the graduates who had their projects funded last year: https://extension.missouri.edu/news/neighborhood-leadership-academy-awards-20-mini-grants-5986

 

ARTICLES ON NLA GRADS

 

One Republic City Council member credits neighboring activities and Neighborhood Leadership Academy for his move toward serving on council: https://we-are-neighbors.blogspot.com/2024/05/one-neighborhood-decision-eventually.html


Graduates do come up with some great projects, like this one in Republic, Mo.: https://extension.missouri.edu/news/adventure-backpacks-how-leadership-and-learning-benefit-community-5350

 

Or this one in St. Louis: https://extension.missouri.edu/news/leadership-in-action-calming-traffic-building-community-5636

 

Some NLA graduates go on to earn national awards. Here is one example from May of 2023: https://extension.missouri.edu/news/tonnie-smith-named-to-who-s-who-in-america-s-neighborhoods-honor-roll-6088

 

JOIN ME

I would love to have you join me for this year’s Neighborhood Leadership Academy online and in person for participants in the Republic area. We have the flexibility of online classes and a chance to build local connections. We will build local connections and work together to improve neighborhoods in Republic.

 

David L. Burton

Community Development Specialist | Extension Professional

University of Missouri Extension

Springfield Botanical Center, 2400 S. Scenic Ave, Springfield, Mo. 65807

O: (417) 881-8909 | D: (417) 874-2954 | E: burtond@missouri.edu

W: https://extension.missouri.edu/


 MORE INFORMATION

Does this article make you interested in taking the Engaged Neighbor pledge? Five categories and 20 principles to guide you toward becoming an engaged neighbor. Sign the pledge online at http://engagedneighbor.com.

Contact the blog author, David L. Burton at dburton541@yahoo.com.


Location: Springfield, MO, USA

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