Youth Leadership Program
|
 |
Youth Leadership members spent a weekend at Camp Jewell deliberating grant decisions.
Click here for more pictures from Camp Jewell
It has been another successful year for the Youth Leadership Program to
distribute small venture grants to community organizations in the Valley area.
According to Kristyn Hanewicz Co-President and Senior at Seymour High School,
“Allocations this year was challenging and rewarding at the same time. As a
group we worked well which led to what we feel was the best decision for
allocating our funding.” Every year these grants are given to local
organizations to help fund new and/or expanding programs that meet the needs of
Valley teens. During the month of December and January, students actively
assessed the needs of youth, sought proposals from community organizations and
conducted in depth interviews with local agency representatives about the
programs.
A total of $2,000 was available to allocate to programs this year. Students
assessed that areas of critical concern for Valley youth included programs which
focused on the following: bullying/self esteem, prevention (abuse), pregnancy
prevention, drugs and alcohol, dating violence, environmental concerns, arts and
culture, summer camp and youth assistance programs. The following programs were
chosen by the Youth Leadership members because they addressed the needs of teens
and were deemed to be worthwhile to the community. According to Matt Ezzo, Co
President and Senior at Derby High School, “Although the allocations process was
sometimes one of disagreement in the correct placing of the funds the work of
one cohesive unit of youth leaders was able to come up with solutions to that
and other obstacles creating the final spread of funds of which we are very
proud.”
Seymour High School was awarded $500.00 to launch a new concept of the
project "Making the Right Choices! A Teen Safe Driving Program". This program is
an interactive student assembly that combines a multimedia presentation that
addresses teen underage drinking and driving as well as the responsibilities of
safe driving combined with victims, offenders, law enforcement sho related first
hand experiences of the tragic consequences.
The Umbrella Program, Birmingham Group Health Services was awarded
$600.00 to purchase 3 DVD's. The goal of the program is to teach children and
adolescents that respect is more than being polite to their parents and that
treating everyone considerately is more important. The program will give
students the opportunity to understand and recognize the most common forms of
dating abuse and how it begins and progresses. The impact of this program will
be to prevent young people from getting into relationships that will hurt them
and thus interfere with conception that a person has the right to self
determination. The program will encourage youth to be directed to make positive
decisions and health choices so they will become responsible adults.
Shelton Intermediate School was awarded $180.00 to help launch an
after-school program to assist students in need of extra academic support. The
program will run three days per week for 16 weeks. One of the goals of the
program is to support students with a healthy snack after the school day ends
and the program begins.
Oxford High School and Oxford Police Dept - Youth Development and
Substance Awareness Series was awarded $245.00. The program will consist of an
assembly with an expert keynote speaker followed by breakout sessions with
students. The program will focus on substance abuse and its effects on students'
physical, emotional, and social well-being.
Housatonic Council, Boy Scouts of America was awarded $175. These funds will
help them reach their goal to purchase a computer for summer camp. Scouts will
be able to do research on awards. The computer will also allow the youth to have
access to e-mail to stay in touch with family.
Youth 2 Youth Peer Advocates Program was awarded $200.00. The program
will allow Youth 2 Youth peer advocates to plan and implement a stress
management workshop for their peers as they face difficult times in their lives
such as the transition from high school to college, grades and final exams.
Seymour Police Department was awarded $200.00. The program is held in
conjunction with Safe Kids Week to focus on high-risk groups. Based on the
number of teens and tweens (tweens- in between stage - not in grade school, not
a teen) who are injured needlessly every year by not following safe practices on
bicycles and skateboards. The program will provide safety education at home,
school, and outside. The education will also include anti-drug prevention,
smoking prevention and safety.
Valley United Way Youth Leaders attend various public and private high schools
and all live in the Valley. This year, the RFP’s were discussed and grant
determinations were made during a weekend long retreat held at Camp Jewell in
Colebrook, Connecticut.
Since 1990 Valley United Way’s Youth Leadership members have distributed over
$45,000 to fund community youth initiatives that they selected.
The Youth Leadership Program is appreciative of the kindness of Pitney Bowes
which funded the weekend long retreat.
Valley United Way is accepting applications to the 2008-09 program. Applications
can be found here. More information
can be obtained by calling 926-9478 or emailing patricia.tarasovic@valleyunitedway.org.
The Youth Leadership Program is made possible through the generous support of the Raymond P. Lavietes Foundation which provides core funding.
