Students in the Foundation’s Youth Philanthropy Program awarded their first grant in 2013 – $940 to purchase digital cameras for high school AP Art classes. Every year since, the program has grown in its grants making, with support from the Foundation’s Charlene Morgan Emerging Leaders Endowment as well as grants from the Big Lots Foundation.
To date, high school students in the program have awarded over $45,000 to support learning activities in the high school’s Math, World Language, Science, Art, Social Studies and English Departments. They have also supported student-based projects and clubs as well as provided funding for health and wellness initiatives. Students have been meeting this fall in a series of “learning lunches” to gain knowledge about the philanthropic grants making process from various nonprofit professionals and grant makers. They will be reviewing grant proposals over the upcoming winter break in order to make their grant funding decisions in January.