Fort Hays State University

Partnerships

The Kansas Youth Leadership Academy, Sunflower Bank, and the Kansas Sports Hall of Fame (KSHOF) serve as the primary partners for this new initiative.

The Kansas Youth Leadership Academy is a state-wide, all inclusive program that promotes youth leadership development throughout the state of Kansas. KYLA’s primary emphasis is providing practical tools that nurture the development of strong character traits, an engaging civic attitude, and an educational experience that fosters leadership development among young people. Utilizing university faculty, school teachers, community leaders, and college students as certified leadership trainers, the Kansas Youth Leadership Academy focuses on themes that will provide students with the knowledge, behaviors, and motivation to participate in the leadership process. The Kansas Youth Leadership Academy is funded in part by the major sponsorship of the McDonalds Restaurants of Kansas.

Sunflower Bank serves as the program sponsor for this new program. In addition to this financial gift, Sunflower Bank Staff provide their talents and expertise in the deployment and operations of the Leadership on and off the Field program. Sunflower Bank is a family-owned financial services company serving more than 20 communities throughout Kansas and Colorado. The bank is committed to the growth of its communities and students, and dedicated to its mission of “Bringing out the best in the lives we touch… Creating Possibility.

Through exhibits, archives, facilities, services, and activities, the Kansas Sports Hall of Fame honors those individuals and teams whose achievements in sports have brought distinction to themselves, to their communities, and to the entire state of Kansas. In addition to preserving the history of sports for the state, the Kansas Sports Hall of Fame also serves as a source of education and inspiration to all generations.