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New Castle County YPB Awards $15K in Nonprofit Grants

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The New Castle County Youth Philanthropy Board (YPB) of the Delaware Community Foundation (DCF) awarded $15,000 to six New Castle County nonprofit organizations.

YPB member Samantha Drummond, a junior at Wilmington Christian School, presents a grant to the YWCA’s Cindy LaRock.
YPB member Samantha Drummond, a junior at Wilmington Christian School, presents a grant to the YWCA’s Cindy LaRock.

The DCF’s New Castle County YPB is composed of 25 students from New Castle County public, independent and diocesan high schools. Since October, YPB members have been studying youth issues in their neighborhoods and schools. They learned about community service and grantmaking and conducted site visits.

This year’s New Castle County YPB chose to focus on organizations that provide extracurricular activities to middle and high school students with developmental and/or physical challenges. The board also chose to support organizations and programs that provide support and promote healthy lifestyles for at-risk (e.g., parenting or pregnant, struggling with substance abuse) teens.

The 2015 grants were awarded to:

Delaware Association for the Blind – $3,000 to support Camp Sunnybrook, a six-week summer day camp for blind and visually impaired children.

Kingswood Community Center – $3,250 to support the Kingswood Mentoring Program for at-risk middle and high school students.

Leading Youth through Empowerment – $3,250 to support the training and tutoring of middle school students at Thomas A. Edison Charter School and to prepare them for high school.

Mom’s House – $500 to support tutoring, life-skills/parenting classes and mentoring programs for young parents.

YMCA of Delaware, Western Family Branch – $2,500 to provide funding for aquatic activities for youth ages 11-18 with intellectual and physical challenges.

YWCA  Delaware – $2,500 to support the YWCA Girl/YWCA Ready program, which engages mentors to work with students who are first-generation college attendees.

The Delaware Community Foundation sponsors a Youth Philanthropy Board in each Delaware county to encourage high school students to become more involved in philanthropy. Each board of high school students is allotted a pool of money to give as charitable grants. The students learn about philanthropy and effective grantmaking, study youth issues in their neighborhoods and schools, solicit grant proposals, make site visits, and award grants to those they determine to be most deserving.

Retired Delaware educator Phyllis Wynn established the Youth Philanthropy Fund in 1999 because she wanted to encourage youth to become more involved in philanthropic ventures. Students who serve on the YPB are nominated by their principal or guidance counselor.

“The Youth Philanthropy Board program gets kids out into the community to experience firsthand the impact their work has on people’s lives,” said DCF President & CEO Fred Sears. “It’s a valuable learning experience for these kids that also shapes the lives of those they’re helping.”

2014-15 New Castle County Youth Philanthropy Board

2014-15 New Castle County Youth Philanthropy Board
2014-15 New Castle County Youth Philanthropy Board

Marguerite Beane, Padua Academy

Carbery Anne Campbell, St. Andrew’s School

Alina Caulfield, Sanford School

Nigel Clark, Mt. Pleasant High School

Nijay Crawley, Newark High School

Gabriella daPonte, Red Lion Christian Academy

Samantha Drummond, Wilmington Christian School

William Esteves, Delcastle Technical High School

Bryce Fender, Conrad Schools of Science

Mary Fiorile, Archmere Academy

James Hamory, St. Mark’s High School

Rachel Heisler, Tatnall School

Katherine Hosey, Ursuline Academy

Madeleine Ireland, Wilmington Friends School

Patrick J. Lyons, Salesianum School

Tylor Matthews, Delaware Military Academy

Collin Megee, Cab Calloway School of the Arts

Sarah Meyers, William Penn High School

Bronwyn Lee Morris, St. Elizabeth High School

Lange Scanlan, Tower Hill School

Matthew Thompson, Caravel Academy

Connor Ward, St. George’s Technical High School

Bailey Weatherbee, Charter School of Wilmington

Arianna Wilson, Alexis I. du Pont High School

Morgan Wright, Concord High School