Articles of interest in this edition….

Governor’s Conference on Service & Volunteerism   

YP Ambassadors For Your Community

The Power of Children Awards: Making a Difference

Young Hoosier Philanthropist - Riley Curry

Save the Earth Now Resource

Register Your National Youth Service Day Project

2007 YP Jam: You Too - Make a Difference

Kohl's Kids Who Care Program Now Accepting Nominations

Trainings from IYI that Empower YP

FOX 59 Student Spotlight Award

Schools Making a Difference

Governor’s Conference on Service & Volunteerism
Last chance to sign up for the Governor’s Conference On Service & Volunteerism, designed to help you learn more about involving youth in community service, promote volunteerism in youth agencies and encourage philanthropy.  It will be held March 12-13, 2007, in Indianapolis and is hosted by the Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives. 

Register:  http://www.in.gov/ofbci/conference/

YP Ambassadors For Your Community  
The next orientation session for those interested in becoming a YP Ambassador will be Friday, April 27^th , 9:00 AM to 4:30 PM at Franklin College in Franklin, Indiana.  YP Ambassadors will serve local communities across Indiana to promote the concept of philanthropy among children, youth and young adults.  Thanks to our generous sponsors, this high quality event is available for a nominal fee of $20.00 per participant.  Participants will receive over $800 in quality resources to use in the local communities.  To see what other Ambassadors are doing in local communities to promote philanthropy, or to get more information about Ambassadors, go to www.ypin.org  Please email strout@indianagrantmakers.org regarding details or call Eileen Ryan, YPII Program Director at 317.630.5200.

The Power of Children Awards: Making a Difference
Do you know a young person making an extraordinary difference in the lives of others or in the community through volunteerism and demonstration of good citizenship? This is a call to nominate the extraordinary work of Hoosier Youth for The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis’ Power of Children awards. Nominations are currently being sought throughout Indiana for youth in grades 6-11.  The Power of Children Awards were created in 2005 in conjunction with The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis’ new permanent exhibit, The Power of Children: Making a Difference scheduled to open in late 2007. The purpose of the awards is to help children and families realize that while some children are recognized nationally and internationally for their actions, there are many in our own communities whose good deeds too often go unnoticed. Award recipients will receive a cash reward to continue their extraordinary project and receive a post-secondary educational scholarship to an Indiana based institution of higher learning.

Young Hoosier Philanthropist - Riley Curry  
Riley Curry is a 17-year-old junior who attends Bloomington High School South. After witnessing the plight of several homeless people during extreme weather conditions, Riley decided he needed to do something to help them. Through his concern for others, he developed the “Sunday Shalom Breakfast Program” to feed the homeless. The overall goal of the program is to provide nourishment and provide a gathering place to nurture their souls. The program has grown from 19 recipients to more than 50. A recipient of the distinguished “Power of Children Award,” Riley continues to use his resources to serve the less fortunate, and has mobilized many in his congregation to help serve those in need every week.   To view an interview of Riley Curry by WISH-TV 8, visit http://www.childrensmuseum.org/special_events/powerofchildren/2006winners.htm

Save the Earth Now Resource               
Wondering what to do for Earth Day?  Learning to Give and YPII announce the creation of Save the Earth Now, a resource that addresses environmental stewardship and philanthropy.  Save the Earth Now is a comprehensive resource for teachers, educators, parents, youth workers, and faith-based organizations to educate youth on the importance of environmental stewardship. It includes grade-specific lesson plans, providing teachers and youth workers with all the necessary materials needed to engage youth around the topic of environmentalism through the lens of philanthropy.  This resource is made possible through a grant from the Nina Mason Pulliam Charitable Trust. Please email strout@indianagrantmakers.org regarding details or call Eileen Ryan, YPII Program Director at 317.630.5200.

Register Your National Youth Service Day Project
Registering your service project at http://www.ysa.org/nysd/partner/profile/login.cfm enables Youth Service America to highlight your project through their national media campaign. National & Global Youth Service Day, the largest service event in the world, is April 20-22, 2007.  Resources are available to help you plan your service project at www.YSA.org/nysd.

2007 YP Jam: You Too - Make a Difference
The 2007 YP Jam will be held on July 12-13^th at Franklin College featuring top quality speakers and presenters.   Derek Jones, a recognized young philanthropist and senior at Scottsburg High School will share his experiences of giving and serving in his community.  He has served as president of the Indiana Association of  Student Councils and sits on Riley Children's Hospital "Kids Caring and Sharing" Advisory Board.  Anna Scally (pictured) is back with the many gifts she brings to the YP Jam as speaker, DJ, facilitator and friend.  Anna is an international presenter for youth events, a recipient of numerous national awards, and serves as president of Cornerstone Media, Inc.  This event is priced at a very affordable price of $75 per person.  Start gathering a “team” from your organization to attend the Jam this year.   Go to www.ypin.org for continually updated information about YP Jam 2007!  Please email strout@indianagrantmakers.org for brochures.

Kohl's Kids Who Care Program Now Accepting Nominations
Each year, through the Kohl's Kids Who Care program, Kohl's rewards outstanding young people, ages six through 18, for their community service. This year, Kohl's will recognize nearly 1,500 young volunteers, and will award nearly $200,000 in scholarships for post-secondary education. In addition, Kohl's will award a $1,000 grant to a nonprofit partner on be half of each of the 10 national winners. To learn more, visit http://www.kohlscorporation.com/CommunityRelations/Community05.htm

Trainings from IYI that Empower YP
IYI offers top quality, low-cost training opportunities for youth workers across the state. Topics include fundraising and working with children and youth.  Several topics focus on skills related to youth philanthropy.  The cost is only $40 for a one-day course and $50 for two days.
For Spring 2007:
• Building the Annual Fund

• Group Activities That Teach Life Skills
• All the World’s a Stage: Creative Techniques to Engage Youth in Social Change
For location, dates and more information, go to www.iyi.org

FOX 59 Student Spotlight Award
There’s nothing more incredible than witnessing a kid make a difference in his or her community. FOX 59 would like to spotlight youth who are working tirelessly, yet quietly, in the name of community service. The FOX 59 Student Spotlight Award is given to high school students to honor and recognize their compassion, foresight, achievement, leadership and excellence as they commit to contribute and build a stronger central Indiana community.  For more information go to www.ypin.org

Schools Making a Difference
Break-O-Day Elementary school is a rural school in New Whiteland, Indiana with a student population of 450. Over 50% of the children are on free and reduced lunches. However, what they did during a Thanksgiving drive truly demonstrated the power of giving; that age and socioeconomic background don’t have to be barriers when it comes to caring about others. The students donated $27,471 worth of clothes to needy families in Johnson County. Later they gave an additional $11,269 in food donations and volunteer time to their community. 

These service projects were implemented due to their participation in The LEAGUE, a program for schools that educates young people about the importance of philanthropy, the nonprofit sector and civic engagement. For more information, go to the YPII web site and click on Links, then The LEAGUE.