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Last Updated Mar 2008


Nottingham Students’ Small Grant Reaps Big Rewards
Students in Nottingham High School’s Leadership Class participated in the Community Foundation’s Youth in Philanthropy (YIP) Program. They attended nine classroom sessions with Community Foundation staff, chose a community issue, established funding criteria for the $1,000 grant, researched local not-for-profit organizations, and performed site visits to potential grant recipients.

The students decided that their particular interest was after-school programs targeting youth in elementary and middle schools that “encourage teamwork, promote dialogue and have both fun and educational components.” Letters and grant applications were sent to agencies fulfilling these criteria requesting that they apply, providing: (1) a brief description of the organization; (2) a description of the project including budget breakdown; and (3) an evaluation of expectations and how these would be measured.

After reviewing grant applications from prospective recipients, the group awarded $1,000 to Huntington Family Centers, which provides a safe, structured and supportive after-school youth program during the school year as well as a day camp in July and August. Huntington will use the grant to implement a boat-building project with eight youth ages 11-14 who will meet five Saturdays over a ten-week period for four hours each session.

The project assembled four canoes (in teams of two youth) under the guidance of an experienced and skilled boat builder, Ted Rulfs and four members of the group, “Wood, Ship and Saw Dust Woodworkers.” Mr. Rulfs volunteered his time in this effort, as he has in the past for other youth boat-building projects. During the project, the children learned skills such as problem solving, teamwork and the value of hard work. Once completed, the canoes were used by all Huntington youth program participants for recreational purposes on Onondaga Lake and as environmental tools to assist in cleaning the lake.

Nottingham’s Leadership Class has touched our community in larger ways than money…our local high school students have learned first-hand about philanthropy and the not-for-profit sector’s needs and how they can be met through the grantmaking process; children participating in Huntington Family Center’s youth program learned a variety of skills and enjoyed the fruits of their labors; and our community as a whole benefited as it does every time youth are served.