Cohort XLII 2025-2026 CALENDAR

August 19, 2025 - Orientation & Leadership Development

September 23 - Regional Services Day

October 21 - History Day

November 18 - Education Day

December 9 – Leadership Development & Team Building Day

January 13, 2026 – Economic Development Day

February 10 – Nonprofit Day

March 17 – Healthcare Day

April 21 – Tourism Day

May 12 – Visions for the Future Day

June 9 – Law & Order Day

June 23 - Graduation

The debrief portion of the class aims to help participants reflect on how their Leadership Waco experience can enhance their community involvement and professional growth.

In your assigned group of three ("triad" or "trouple"), use the provided metaphors to discuss today's experiences or, answer the specific questions given that pertain to the day. Spend 20 minutes on this conversation. Afterwards, we'll regroup, and each triad will have the opportunity to share their insights with everyone.

Required Activities

Leadership Waco participants are required to complete two outside activities from the list provided below.  Select one experience from Section I and one from Section 2. 

Upload a photo of the agenda or a selfie at the event HERE.

Section I - Civic Leadership Event - choose one of these experiences that you have not done before

• Waco City Council Meeting

Waco City Council meets on the 1^st & 3^rd Tuesday of the month at 6 p.m. in the Bosque Theater at the Waco Convention Center. Agendas are posted on the City website 72 hours prior to the meeting on their website.

• Waco Planning & Zoning Commission Meeting

Planning & Zoning meet the 4^th Tuesday of every month at 7 p.m. in the Bosque Theater at the Waco Convention Center.  

•  McLennan County Commissioners Court

County Commissioners Court meets every Tuesday at 9 a.m. in the Commissioners Court on the 1^st floor of the McLennan County Court House.  Agendas are posted on their website the Thursday afternoon prior to the meeting.

• Waco ISD School Board Meeting

Waco ISD School Board Meetings are held on the 4^th Thursday each month at 7 p.m. at the Waco ISD Administration Building Downtown. Call Waco ISD to confirm meeting schedule at 755-9473.

Any McLennan County school board meeting qualifies for this requirement. (Midway, La Vega, China Spring, Robinson, etc.)

Section 2 - Cultural Experience - choose one of these experiences that you have not done before

• Art Center Waco AND Washington Gallery
• Armstrong Browning Library and Museum
• Baylor Theater
• Creative Waco event
• Dr Pepper Museum
• Historic Waco tour or event
• Keep Waco Beautiful event
• Martin Museum of Art | Baylor University
• Mayborn Museum
• Performing Arts Center
• Texas Music Cafe event
• Texas Ranger Museum
• Texas Sports Hall of Fame
• Waco Civic Theater
• Waco Mammoth National Monument
• Waco Symphony
• Waco Tours

Class Project

Your Leadership Waco class is responsible for working together to complete a class project that benefits Waco.

Class projects could include:

• Neighborhood cleanup
• Playground Improvement at a neighborhood park or nonprofit such as Family Abuse, Talitha Koum
• Work collectively with the City Manager or Mayor on a common project
• Tree planting
• Serve at a non-profit's special event
• Special Olympics
• Waco Cultural Arts Festival
• Pick an organization (Mission Waco, Methodist Home) and fundraise for computer lab, playground, painting, repairs

The possibilities are endless. A family-friendly project that involves the entire family is encouraged.  

We suggest choosing a class leader to help organize the group and the project.

A plan of work for the project must be completed and turned into Rachel by the January 13, 2026 class and the project must be completed by the last class day, June 9.

Attendance Policy

Leadership Waco consists of eleven full class days, August through June.

Participants are allowed only two absences.

Arriving to class 2 hours late or leaving 2 hours early constitutes a full day's absence.

Absent from class for more than 30 minutes constitutes a half day, unless prior approval has been given from the Leadership Waco Director.

Attendance is taken by the receipt of your survey each class day. If you don't complete the survey, I don't have evidence you were in class.