2026 Neighboring Summit

DAUPHIN, PA – On February 19, 2025, 120 Capital Region leaders representing over 50 organizations gathered with our Neighboring Academy students from Steelton-Highspire High School at the first “Neighboring Summit” in Harrisburg, PA to explore "neighboring" as a promising practice for strengthening business and education partnerships in the Capital Region. Throughout the day, the Neighboring Academy was highlighted as an innovative workforce development initiative that puts high school students on pathways to homeownership to break inter-generational cycles of poverty. Plenary sessions and activities shared stories of neighboring as well as concrete individual, group, and system expressions to create mutually beneficial connections between business and education. Some sector representatives who engaged our students, included government leaders (E.g. Senate District 15, 103rd  & 105th Legislative Districts); business leaders (E.g. LINK Bank, C&J Catering, PA American Water, UPMC); community leaders (E.g. Annie E Casey Foundation, Brethren Housing Association, Dauphin County Systems of Care); and education leaders (E.g. Harrisburg Area Community College, Penn State College of Medicine, Hamilton Health, Messiah University, Harrisburg School District; Susquehanna School District); and many others!