Kansas Leadership Center

What if we equip and inspire young people to realize they don't have to wait to lead?

Today, student leaders from across the Wichita region joined us at the Kansas Leadership Center to explore what happens when everyone leads.

A special thank you to Bank of America for investing in this experience and helping develop the next generation of leaders.

We're grateful to Wichita Riverfest for the partnership. The 2026 Prairie Schooner Mates are an exceptional group of young leaders. Special thanks to KLC teachers Joseph Shepard and Julia Fabris McBride for helping bring today’s conversation to life.

States with ever-enlarging paddling programs, like Iowa and Nebraska, say dedicated staff greatly improves public awareness and can greatly improve landowner awareness and cooperation.

✍️ Michael Pearce
📸 Selena Rivas Favela & Michael Pearce

Why paddling rivers in Kansas too often runs aground Despite some success stories, the state’s fostering of canoeing and kayaking remains limited in creating new opportunities for river access. But with growing interest locally and in surrounding states, new ideas are being continually floated.

The secretary of state has seen an increase of filings so far in this election cycle, according to spokesman Thomas Treacy.

The uptick might mean that more candidates have filed sooner in this cycle compared with recent ones, not necessarily that more candidates will seek election. The office will have that number after the deadline.

✍️ Jerry LaMartina

June 1 deadline to bring clarity for candidates, voters Kansans wanting to run for office must file by noon Monday. Any voter wanting to change their party affiliation from Republican to Democrat or vice versa must act as well.

Wabaunsee County and Riley County are neighbors. But recent news shows contrasts in their law enforcement philosophies.

Learn more in the latest edition of Connecting Threads, a column that provides updates on Journal stories from the recent and distant past.

✍️ Bruce Janssen

Profiling a spat on policing, data centers and church trends he latest edition of the Connecting Threads column, by The Journal’s top copy editor, looks back on stories from the recent and distant past.

Every story needs someone to help guide the room.

Jessie Gray, emcee & founder of Flying Pig Improv, will help shape the evening as stories of the American Dream unfold.

Join us for Testing the American Dream, a live storytelling event from the Wichita Journalism Collaborative.

📅 May 26 | 6–7 p.m.
📍 Roxy’s Downtown | Wichita

Register: bit.ly/TestingAmericanDream

🚀 Looking for meaningful, mission-driven work?

KLC is hiring for several onsite roles in Wichita, including new openings on our Finance & Operations and Programs teams.

✨ Chief Financial Officer
✨ Accounting Operations Manager
✨ Program Associates (2 positions)

If you’re energized by work that strengthens organizations, communities and civic life, we’d love to hear from you.

Learn more + apply: www.KansasLeadershipCenter.org/join-the-klc-team/

Send a cover letter and résumé to [email protected]. Applications reviewed until positions are filled.

Celebrating three years of Beka! 🎉

For the last three years, Beka Starkey Keasling has helped strengthen connection and impact across KLC as director of learning networks. One of the values she sees lived out every day at KLC is connection: “Our people show up for each other every day and genuinely care” — and anyone who’s worked with Beka knows she brings that same spirit into everything she does.

Her favorite part of the work is getting to “be a part of moments that create ripples of impact — not only in the lives of individuals, but in their families, organizations and communities,” and we’re grateful for the ripple effect she’s created at KLC over the last three years.

When she’s not working, you can find Beka traveling with her family, snuggling with her cat, or training for her next marathon (because apparently running 26.2 miles for fun is a thing). 🏃‍♀️🐈

Thanks for three amazing years, Beka!

What's behind the story of someone's American Dream?

Hear from three of the storytellers who will be presenting Tuesday at Roxy's Downtown in Wichita.

Hear from the speakers who'll discuss testing the American Dream Each event speaker is being asked to talk about a time when their faith in the American Dream was tested and how they responded.

Mold, sleep deprivation & toxic exposure aren’t just firefighter problems. They’re public safety problems. Wichita’s station crisis raises a bigger question: what would it look like to truly design fire stations around firefighter health?

✏️ Jacinda Hall
📸 Selena Favela

What if Wichita’s stations put firefighter health first? Wichita can look to places such as Salt Lake City who’ve been able to prioritize improving firefighter health through design innovations.