Every healthy neighborhood has people who quietly make things happen. They organize a block party. They welcome new neighbors. They serve on neighborhood associations. They advocate for safer streets, cleaner parks, and stronger communities. They bring people together when others are drifting apart. The good news is that leaders like these are not born. They are developed. That is exactly why Missouri's Neighborhood Leadership Academy (NLA) exists. And registration and scholarship links are now open online . For many years, the Neighborhood Leadership Academy has equipped residents from across Missouri with practical skills to strengthen the places they call home. Rather than focusing only on theory, the program helps participants become more effective community builders by combining leadership development with practical strategies that can be applied immediately in their own neighborhoods. Participants explore topics such as community building, neighborhood engagement, project ...

Missouri residents with a passion for improving their communities are encouraged to apply for the 2025 Neighborhood Leadership Academy (NLA) —a powerful 10-week training program designed to equip neighborhood champions with skills in project planning, community-building, and personal leadership. The fall 2025 session runs from September 10 to November 19 , with weekly classes held virtually via Zoom on Wednesdays from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m. Participants will gain knowledge and tools to make a meaningful difference in their neighborhoods through hands-on learning and community-based projects. The program is ideal for: Neighborhood association members Resident volunteers and community leaders Staff from community-based organizations Local government employees and municipal officials Business owners looking to get more involved During the course, participants design and implement a real-world project to improve their community. Past projects include launching a neighborho...

  A visionary initiative is now available to local athletes and community groups: the newly opened Sports Equipment Library at the Republic Community Center. Founded by Republic High School soon-to-be senior Hayden Hradek, this program offers a wide range of sports gear—helmets, balls, pads, bats and more—for free six-month borrowing periods.  Coaches of youth teams in the Republic Parks league are able to check the equipment out for players who do not have the necessary equipment. A ribbon-cutting ceremony in late July commemorated the library’s launch, built inside a converted shipping container behind the community center. Community coaches and residents can borrow equipment by visiting during operating hours and completing a short online form. Driven by Personal Experience Hayden, a standout nose guard on the state runner-up football team, drew on his own childhood challenges to create the program. Raised by a single working mother, he and his family once had to choose bet...