Chalkboard: Youth Philanthropy Council; Party in the Park and prom photo request
Youth Philanthropy Council
STAUNTON — Hanna Spencer had volunteered at the Verona Community Food Pantry last summer. Spencer is a senior at Stuart Hall and, when talking about that experience with one of the school's deans, it was suggested that maybe she would be a good fit for the Youth Philanthropy Council (YPC).
"I am so happy to have done it," Spencer said. "It was really fun."
The YPC is a program through the Community Foundation of the Central Blue Ridge. Formed in 2008, the YPC gives area high school students a chance to practice philanthropic leadership skills. This year 22 students were part of the council that met regularly at the Staunton Innovation HUB to learn how nonprofits function and about current challenges in the community.
The students are asked to steward $30,000 and, using the information they gather, establish funding priorities, create a grant application, review grants, and then corporately decide fund distribution.
On Wednesday night, the students invited the grant recipients to a ceremony to award the money.
One of the nonprofits that received funding Wednesday was the LIFEworks Project, which operates the River City Bread Basket, a free and client-choice food pantry in Waynesboro.
"We are very grateful anytime any organization, especially one as important as the Youth Philanthropy Council, takes the time to look at what we're doing," said Adrienne Young, LIFEworks executive director. "If any community organization is going to last it's going to need the recognition of youth because they're the next leaders."
Young said the Community Foundation does a great job of getting young people to think about what they are doing with the money they are entrusted with granting and where that money can do the most good.
Sydney Troxell is a sophomore at Wilson Memorial High School. She said the River City Bread Basket was one of the organizations that really stood out to her as doing good work. It was Troxell's first year on the YPC, a group she heard about from a coach at Wilson.
"It sounded like fun," Troxell said. "I learned about a bunch of different perspectives and about a lot of issues in the community."
Sabrina Burress is the executive director of the ARROW Project, which works to bring mental health awareness and support to the region. Since YPC is made up of area youth, the ARROW Project wants to use the grant money to help youth. One thing the nonprofit is currently working on that the funds will help with is identifying neurodivergent youth groups. The money will also go toward substance-use prevention.
"Those feel like two really important areas that are youth specific," Burress said. "We can use those funds to bring folks in and they won't have to pay for those services at all."
Emma Trauner-Coady is a Stuart Hall junior. She really enjoyed her experience with YPC this year.
"I really feel like I got a lot more insight into what's going on in the community," she said. "I just learned a lot more about what's going on."
2023-24 YPC members
Santiago Berrizbeitia
Carson Biller
Ellary Bond
Noah Brown
Manny Chapman
Brenna Collins
Lydia Daley
Anthony Davenport
Fiona DeVito
Chloe Emurian
Quinn Franklin
Fae James
Bethany Lang
Kevin McCoy
Estrella Montano
August Schwaner
Laurel Shelton
Hannah Shiflett
Hanna Spencer
Emma Trauner-Coady
Sydney Troxell
Jayden Zimmerman
Nonprofits receiving YPC grants
ARROW Project
Brain Injury Connections of the Shenandoah Valley
Embrace
The LIFEworks Project
Martha's Meals on Wheels
Mental Health America-Augusta
Neighbor Bridge
New Directions Center
Shenandoah LGBTQ Center
Valley Children's Advocacy Center
Valley Hope Counseling Center
Waynesboro Area Rescue Ministry
Staunton City Schools' Party in the Park
STAUNTON — The fourth annual Party in the Park will take place Sunday, May 5, at the bandstand in Gypsy Hill Park. The event runs from 3-7 p.m.
Every band and choir from Staunton High School and Shelburne Middle School, as well as singers from Bessie Weller, A.R. Ware, and McSwain elementary schools, will be performing throughout the afternoon.
There will also be five food trucks on site: Blue Ridge Pizza, Sweet Baby Cheeses, Valley Pike BBQ, Smiley's Ice Cream, and Perk Place Coffee.
The event is free and open to the public. Friendly pets and yard games are welcome. In case of bad weather, the rain location is at Staunton High School.
Prom photos
It is prom season for area high schools. The News Leader would like to publish prom photos from the Staunton, Waynesboro, Augusta County area.
If you wish to submit photos to be published on newsleader.com in the coming weeks, please email them to phite@newsleader.com.
Bridgewater College announces commencement, baccalaureate speakers
BRIDGEWATER — Oskar Scheikl, former superintendent of Rockingham County Public Schools, and the Rev. Wilfred E. Nolen, a Bridgewater College trustee, will serve as the college’s commencement and baccalaureate speakers for 2024, respectively.
Approximately 285 undergraduate students and 35 master’s students are expected to receive degrees at the commencement exercises, which will take place on Saturday, May 4, at 10 a.m. on the Campus Mall. Scheikl will deliver a speech entitled “Self and Service” to the new graduates.
The College’s Baccalaureate service will be held at 6 p.m. on Friday, May 3, in Cole Hall. Nolen, a retired administrator in the Church of the Brethren, will deliver a speech entitled “Washing Feet: A Symbol.”
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— Patrick Hite is The News Leader's education reporter. Story ideas and tips always welcome. Contact Patrick (he/him/his) at phite@newsleader.com and follow him on Twitter @Patrick_Hite. Subscribe to us at newsleader.com.
This article originally appeared on Staunton News Leader: Youth Philanthropy Council; Party in the Park and prom photo request: Chalkboard
