The Battle Creek Area Leadership Challenge is a program of the Battle Creek Area Chamber of Commerce. It is a premier leadership development program designed to identify, educate, and motivate a network of community trustees and increase the individual's capacity to serve the greater good. Selected participants learn through seminars, small work groups, panel discussions, direct interaction with community leaders, and a variety of experiential activities. Participants live, work and serve in a number of communities and neighborhoods throughout Greater Battle Creek.

The Purpose is to generate a network of community trustees.

The Goal is to generate and empower effective community leadership through:

•  Enhanced leadership skills and shared perspectives.
•  Awareness of the challenges, opportunities, and resources in the community.
•  Respect for emerging as well as established leaders.
•  A common desire and willingness to assume traditional as well as non-traditional leadership roles in order to improve community.

Core Content

1. Leadership –Exploring the skills sets associated with self-leadership, stewardship, trust, risk, team building, conflict resolution, change management, and the emerging thinking relative to collective community leadership.  
2.  Love of Place – Pride of ownership. Exploring the community’s hopes and needs. An in-depth look at specific issues within our community; what is working well and what is not.
3.  Diversity and Inclusion–Exploring the people, cultures, and values that make up our communities, the meanings of diversity and inclusive.
4.  Community Development- Completion of a three month team project is a requirement for graduation. Participants will be exposed to and mentored in the basic principles and action steps necessary to develop, implement, monitor and evaluate a meaningful plan of action.

The Commitment

The Battle Creek Leadership Challenge is a year long program including: eight day-long sessions  September through April, one Saturday morning session, and a three month community team project May through August. Graduation and commencement ceremonies follow. Attendance is required and participants absent from more than two sessions will not be eligible for graduation.

Enrollment in the Leadership Challenge is not simply enrollment in a twelve month “program,” it is a commitment to the present and future leadership of Greater Battle Creek. 

Benefits

The Battle Creek Leadership Challenge benefits individual participants, community stakeholders, employers and sponsors, and the community at large.

•  Increases awareness of self and community
•  Broadens networks and connections
•  Builds stake and ownership in community
•  Personal and professional growth and development
•  Compels personal responsibility for the present and future of our city.

Ideal candidates will demonstrate one or more of the following:

•  A desire to commit self, time, and energy to shaping the future of Battle Creek.
•  A willingness to invest their self, time and talents to improve the community.
•  Volunteer participation or leadership in one or more community organizations.
•  A willingness to explore and shape new and different perspectives of leadership and  community.

Sponsored by: The Battle Creek Chamber Foundation, The Battle Creek Health System, Family Health Center of Battle Creek, Summit Pointe, The WK Kellogg Foundation, The Miller Foundation, and The Battle Creek Community Foundation.

For more information, to request an application, or become a sponsor, please  contact Pamala Bardon, Managing Director. 269.962.4770 or pbardon@battlecreek.org

 Battle Creek Area Leadership Challenge
Class of 2008 – 2009

Ms. Anne Root Becraft, Post Cereal
Ms. Sheley Bess, Calhoun Intermediate School District
Rev. Cherie Bignell, Restoration Life Church
Ms. Grace Brewer, Neighborhood’s, Inc.
 Mr. Mike DeLoof, CSM Group
Ms. Melinda Early, Families for Peace
Ms. Stacy Hanna, Battle Creek Enquirer
Ms. Elaine Hunsicker, Haven of Rest
Dr. Kay Keck, Kellogg Community College
Mr. Carlton Lartigue, Haven of Rest
Ms. Janice Masters, Retired Teacher Comstock Public Schools
Lt. Colonel Eric Oswald, 110th Fighter Wing, Air National Guard
Ms. Megan Russell, Hands On Battle Creek
Ms. Rosetta Sanders, Community Activist
Mr. Chris Sargent, United Way of Greater Battle Creek
Ms. Dana Wells-Jenney, EPI Marketing Services:
Mr. Andrew Wichterman, Summit Pointe
Ms. Amy Young, Non-Profit-Alliance
Rev. Bishop Bernard Young, Genesis Leadership Institute