Bloomington Campus

All students, grades 7-8, from any school in the area are encouraged to apply for this free leadership program. 
Application deadline: Wednesday, October 12, 2022

Mission
The Judy O'Bannon Youth Leadership Academy seeks to involve young leaders from diverse backgrounds and experiences in an innovative and creative program designed to foster civic commitment and engagement.

Curriculum
The program will commence on Friday evening, October 21 from 6pm-9pm at Ivy Tech Community College for an introductory meeting, dinner, and icebreakers. From there, students will participate in leadership development activities over three Saturdays: October 22 (9am-Noon), November 12 (9am-Noon), and December 3 (9am-2pm). These meetings will also take place at Ivy Tech. Beginning in January 2023, students will meet regularly with an Ivy Tech mentor to complete a service project that meets the needs of youth or solves a problem faced by youth in their community or school.

Selection Process
Students in 7th and 8th grades from any school in the area are eligible to apply. Students will be selected by a panel of program coordinators. The application deadline is Wednesday, October 12. Students will be notified of acceptance by Friday, October 14.

Instructions
Complete an electronic application by clicking the “Apply Online” button at the top of this page. Please keep in mind that essay responses are limited to 100 words each, and the form must be signed by both the student applying and a parent/guardian.
Note: please do not use an MCCSC email address when applying.

Program Dates
Students must be available on the aforementioned dates (October 21 & 22, November 12, and December 3). From January through April 2023, students will meet regularly with an Ivy Tech mentor and/or participate in community service activities. These dates will be determined by the group participants and mentor.

Questions?
For more information, contact Jennifer Daily-Mantha at (812) 330-4402 or Dr. Samantha Levy at (812) 330-6024.