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Youth Leadership Program2005 |
Students Announce Grant Recipients
Students relaxing after making their grant selections
Valley United Way’s Youth Leadership program has announced $3,000 in grants to several Valley organization’s as part of its annual allocations process. Grants were awarded to Boy Scouts –Housatonic Council, TEAM Inc. Derby High/Middle School and Valley Substance Abuse Action Council.
Carlos Gomez, President of the Youth Leadership Program said, "we had some very hard decisions to make. At our December meeting, evaluations teams were assembled. Each team was assigned one of the proposals to evaluate. Each of the teams spent time reviewing the proposals, Gomez continued. "Team members visited the organization that submitted the request and interviewed key personnel to find out as much as they could about the proposed program and then reported back to the entire group".
At their January meeting the group met to hear and discuss the reports and recommendations from each of the task forces. Extensive discussion followed each report, including numerous questions asking more details about the programs for clarification of specifics of the report. The group then voted on each funding recommendation.
During the year, the students were provided with a variety of training and learning experiences that culminated with their allocation process. They had previously conducted a needs assessment and set their priorities as drug and alcohol awareness, college preparatory and guidance programs for middle school issues.
The Housatonic Council of Boy Scouts received $500 for Learning for Life program. Learning for Life helps prepare young adults to make informed career choices. The program brings business and professional people from numerous career fields into the classroom to share their vocation with students.
Valley Substance Abuse Council received $950 to work with Tele-Media and create a series of video telecasts promoting issues affecting young people in the Valley community. The purpose of the telecast is to give students a forum to express their views on student violence, drug use, or any other current issue of their choice. The broadcasts will be shown to the students at teach of the five Valley high schools. In addition, Tele-Media will air the broadcasts as part of its Valley Worthy of Note series.
Derby High/Middle School received $950 to fund a Student’s Awareness of Resources (STAR) program. STAR will establish more collaborative efforts between faculty members, student services and the student body. STAR will increase student awareness and improve the quality of school environment through scheduled meetings, lectures and peer dialogue.
TEAM received $600 to fund its Project Explore. Project Explore helps youth in the Valley facing barriers to completing high school and do not know what type of career they could pursue as adults.
According to Patricia Tarasovic, Volunteer Action Center Director and Youth Leadership Staff, "this is the seventeenth year in which Valley United Way’s Youth Leadership Program has made allocations to Valley programs aimed at helping teenagers. Each year, the group has been given $3,000 to allocate to proposals that are submitted after a needs assessment has been done."
The allocation process is a major part of the entire Youth Leadership Program’s yearly activities. The Program is designed to help train "future community volunteer leaders."
"This year, the members had a difficult time with their decisions. There were so many excellent proposals that were submitted."
Valley United Way Youth Leadership is in the process of recruiting members for their upcoming year which will begin in April with a trip to Camp Jewell.
