Education

By Andy Klotz— MUNCIE, IN – Muncie Community Schools (MCS) has received a $75,000 STEM Acceleration grant from the Indiana Department of Education. The funds will be used to increase students’ access to STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) courses, programs and resources during the 2022-23 school year. “This is a big help as we try to do everything we can to attack learning loss from the past two years and expose more students to our Project Lead The Way STEM curriculum,” MCS Director of Public Education and CEO Dr. Lee Ann Kwiatkowski said. “This will allow us to acquire…

By Andy Klotz—  MUNCIE, Ind. – Kyle Padgett has been named Muncie Central High School’s new varsity football coach. The Cloverdale native joins the Bearcats after six seasons as head coach at Centerville High where he went 37-24 and led the Bulldogs to an undefeated regular season last year. Padgett replaces Darrick Lee and will try to turn around a Bearcats program that has struggled in recent years, including last season’s 1-9 mark. “I am not going to stand here and guarantee championships,” Padgett said. “What I can guarantee is that we will play fast, up-tempo and disciplined football that…

By Ball State Marketing and Communications—  MUNCIE, Indiana – Ball State University’s Speech Team recently won its 12th consecutive state championship, claiming the title at the 2022 Indiana Forensic Association (IFA) State Tournament. This year’s state event, which was held virtually, included almost 100 student competitors from six universities. Ball State’s students competed in 59 individual events, advancing 52 to the final rounds and winning 15 state titles in all. Ball State’s forensics program—which is part of the College of Communication, Information, and Media’s (CCIM) Department of Communication Studies—has now won 22 speech state championships in all, the most of any…

By Andy Klotz— Masks still required on bus due to federal mandate. MUNCIE, Ind. – Students, staff and visitors of Muncie Community Schools (MCS) are no longer required to wear a mask inside MCS buildings, effective immediately. The change comes just days after the Indiana Department of Health changed its guidance to schools on the issue. The MCS Board of Trustees approved the change as recommended by MCS Director of Public Education and CEO Lee Ann Kwiatkowski at Tuesday evening’s school board meeting. “We’ve seen COVID cases plummet from several weeks ago and after consulting with our local health officials,…

By Stacey A. Shannon— MUNCIE, Ind.—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. Cowan Junior/Senior High School 12th grader Lauren Smith said character is one of the most important attributes of who she is. She strives to be respectful, honest and kind to all of those around her, including her teachers and school administrators. “The relationships I’ve built with the teachers and administration here have allowed countless opportunities that I would never have had,” Smith said. In…

By BSU Marketing and Communications— MUNCIE, Ind. – The Ball State University Foundation has revealed the recipients of the University’s inaugural “Top 100 Student Awards.” This award recognizes 100 outstanding junior and senior undergraduates who represent the spirit of Beneficence, Ball State’s institutional statue and icon that symbolizes the generosity of the five Ball brothers whose land donation to the State of Indiana allowed the University to flourish. The complete list of Ball State’s 2022 Top 100 Students can be found on the Foundation’s website. “After a thorough nomination and selection process, the Ball State University Foundation is proud to present…

By The BSU Foundation— MUNCIE, Ind. – Dave and Deb Heeter, both of whom are graduates of Ball State University, have made a generous commitment of $1 million to support their alma mater. Mr. Heeter is Executive Vice President for Northwest Bank. He also served as the President and Chief Executive Officer of MutualFirst Financial, Inc. and Chief Executive Officer of MutualBank from 2003 until 2020 “We owe a debt of gratitude to Ball State,” Mr. Heeter said. “Our educations gave us opportunities that have allowed us to give back to our community. We want to make sure that future…

By Lesley DeVoss—  MUNCIE, Ind. – The Indiana Department of Education (IDOE) has partnered with Ivy Tech Community College for the Crossing the Finish Line initiative. The initiative was started in 2021 and served nearly 1,900 K-12 students across the state of Indiana during its initial year. In the Muncie-Henry County Campus’s service area, there are over 600 students eligible to take part in the Cross the Finish Line initiative. Through this initiative, tuition, books, fees, and a select few other expenses are covered for eligible students. These students will be able to start their classes during the second eight…