Articles by Mike Rhodes

By Juli Metzger— MUNCIE, IN—Embedded career coaches at Muncie Central High School, a new Freshman Academy and a 10 point jump in the graduation rate were among highlights at a recent gathering of community stakeholders focused on The Opportunity Blueprint: 2030, a five-year community-wide strategic plan. “The better we can make our school system, the better our community’s going to be as a whole,” said Eric Grim, assistant superintendent of Muncie Community Schools. “And we’ve been very fortunate with all…

By Ball State University Communications— MUNCIE, IN—Ball State University is welcoming award-winning author Christina Diaz Gonzalez to campus this Fall as the guest author for the University’s annual Writer-in-Residence program. Ms. Gonzalez is the author of the Edgar Award-winning mystery Concealed, the USA TODAY best-selling graphic novel Invisible, and the critically acclaimed historical fiction novel, The Red Umbrella. During Ms. Gonzalez’s week-long visit to the University—Nov. 3-6—she will speak to Ball State students in the classroom as well as participate in…

By Lesley DeVoss— MUNCIE, IN—Heart of Indiana United Way, in partnership with Ivy Tech Community College and with support from the Shafer Foundation, is celebrating the successful conclusion of the Road to Reading initiative, a summer program that brought free books and literacy resources directly to families across Muncie Promise Neighborhoods. Launched in May 2025, Road to Reading featured the Ivy Tech RV, fully stocked with books, that traveled to four neighborhood events. Families were invited to “shop” together for books, helping…

Editor’s note: The Future Leaders of America series profiles high school seniors who display leadership qualities in their school and the community. The series is brought to you by Pridemark Construction. By Stacey A. Shannon— SELMA, IN—School pride is important to Wapahani High School senior Kendyl Carpenter. In fact, as a member of student council throughout her high school career, Carpenter helped start a School Pride Committee during her sophomore year and was its chair last year. “I try to…

By Ball State University Communications— MUNCIE, IN — Ball State University’s Alley House—a student-designed, energy-efficient duplex in Indianapolis that captured international attention with a first-place finish in the U.S. Department of Energy’s 2023 Solar Decathlon Build Challenge—has received another national honor: the Phius Certified Project Design Award in the biannual Phius Certified Project Design Competition. The award recognizes outstanding achievement in high-performance building design. Phius (Passive House Institute US) Certified Projects represent the highest standard in sustainable housing, requiring rigorous benchmarks…