Articles of interest in this edition….

Volunteerism Awards Given to 22 Southern Indiana Youth

Young Hoosier Philanthropists - Danny Ramsey

Putnam County Launches Youth Philanthropy Program

You Too Make a Difference --- the 2007 YP Jam

Money Smart Children (Grades 2-5)

YP Ambassadors for Your Community

Honor Your Volunteers with The President's Volunteer Service Award

Volunteering In America Report Released

Service Learning Scholarships Available

Volunteerism Awards given to 22 Southern Indiana Youth
Outstanding teen volunteers from across Clark, Floyd and Harrison counties were recognized for their community service at the Community Foundation of Southern Indiana’s annual Gold Acorn awards at The Grand in New Albany.

Nearly 150 people came to the celebration to watch 22 teens receive their awards of a gold lapel pin and a certificate. The awards were a project of the Community Foundation’s Youth Philanthropy Councils, which also gave out its spring grants to organizations embarking on projects that involve or benefit teens. The gala luncheon was organized by teens and adults serving on the Community Foundation’s Youth Philanthropy Councils in each county of its service area: Clark, Floyd and Harrison counties.  To read more about the event, see the news article at www.ypin.org.

Young Hoosier Philanthropists - Danny Ramsey
His first volunteer experience was as a six-year old Cub Scout who helped clean up a school outdoor lab. Since then, Danny Ramsey, a junior at Eastern Hancock High School, has made a commitment as a volunteer that has grown through the years.  Danny, a recent recipient of the 2006 prestigious Martha Beckenholdt Youth Philanthropy Award and dedicated SADD leader, has logged more than 750 volunteer hours at Hancock Regional Hospital since August 2004.  He continues to spend each Sunday helping in the Cardiac Intensive Care Unit.  Danny’s future plans include attending a small college, with the ultimate goal of someday becoming a doctor.  Danny still finds time to be a participant and active leader in many other organizations.  He is a 2005 graduate of the United Way of Central Indiana Youth Leadership Initiative, which provided training in philanthropy and leadership.  A member of the Hancock County YAR Action Board for the past two years, Danny also serves on the YAR of Central Indiana Advisory Board.   For more on this outstanding Young Hoosier Philanthropist, go to www.ypin.org.

Putnam County Launches Youth Philanthropy Program
In 2006, the Putnam County Community Foundation established a Youth Philanthropy program that stemmed from its Sustaining Resource Development efforts.  The goal of the program is to grow generations of philanthropists in Putnam County by engaging youth in philanthropy and grantmaking.  Sue Murray, the immediate past president of the board, took charge and crafted a program for the foundation.  Recruitment consisted of: two youth from each high school, one from 4-H, and four adults.  The model allows for youth empowerment and youth-adult partnerships in decision-making.  The group completed a community assessment by conducting a survey and collecting responses from youth and adults.  The Community Foundation provided $5,000 to the group to use on charitable projects—either through grants to other groups or for them to put to use as their own group.  Future plans for the committee are to build an endowment to support youth philanthropy in Putnam County, invite community philanthropists to share their passions at community meetings, and grow the size and impact of the group to the DePauw University Campus.  For more information about Putnam County’s Youth Philanthropy program, contact Eric Wolfe (pictured left), Director of Community Development for the Putnam County Community Foundation at 765-653-4978 or ewolfe@pcfoundation.org.

You Too Make a Difference- at the 2007 YP Jam

Thanks to generous donors such as The Indianapolis Foundation, The Paul E. Ogle Foundation, Harrison County Community Foundation, Caesars Foundation of Floyd County and the Partners Network, scholarships are available for those unable to pay the discounted fee.  Please contact Eileen Ryan or Jerry Finn if scholarships are needed for your youth to attend the conference. Also, several cash awards will be offered to Indiana organizations doing outstanding youth community service at the YP Jam. 

Attending groups are asked to prepare a presentation in advance for a Great Grant-Super Service Activity at the conference. Criteria and information is available on YPII's website. Download the electronic YP Jam 2007 brochure (PDF).  Please register online at www.ypin.org

Money Smart Children (Grades 2-5)
In partnership with Chase Bank, Learning to Give has developed two new teaching units and a parents guide on financial literacy and philanthropy.  These new resources, tested in Detroit Area Schools, have proven to increase children’s awareness of financial concepts and how philanthropy is an important decision to consider within their financial choices.  The free teaching materials can be accessed at the Learning To Give website in the Teacher’s Room ---- http://www.learningtogive.org/teachers/financialliteracy/ 

YP Ambassadors for your Community
Indiana welcomes twenty-five new Youth Philanthropy Ambassadors from 12 different counties across the state.  Participants came from Floyd County, Boone County, and many points in between.  The Putnam County Community Foundation brought a team of five outstanding youth and adult participants.  The role of Ambassadors is to promote youth philanthropy in local communities across Indiana as well as advance the work and resources of the Initiative.  These new Ambassadors join the previous 50+ people who work in their local communities to motivate and inspire youth and adults to get involved in “giving & serving.”  Information about the Ambassadors is available at www.ypin.org

Honor Your Volunteers with The President's Volunteer Service Award
The President's Volunteer Service Award, created by The President's Council on Service and Civic Participation is a way to thank volunteers for their commitment to volunteerism and community service. The President's Volunteer Service Award recognizes individuals, families, and groups that have achieved a certain number of volunteer hours over the course of a year, or lifetime. To learn more, visit http://www.presidentialserviceawards.gov/index.cfm

Volunteering In America Report Released
"Volunteering in America: 2007 State Trends and Rankings in Civic Life," is the second annual study by the Corporation for National and Community Service that gives a detailed breakdown of America's volunteering habits and patterns by state and region.  The report provides the agency's first-ever ranking of levels of civic engagement by state through a new Civic Life Index. To read the report, visit http://www.nationalservice.gov/about/volunteering/index.asp

Service Learning Scholarships Available
Indiana State University, Lt. Governor Becky Skillman, and the Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs announced a new program to recognize high schools that demonstrate a commitment to community engagement and reward students who practice service learning.

The program will provide Sycamore Service Scholarships of $1,000 per year to graduating seniors from nine high schools selected for the Sycamore Community Leadership Award. The scholarships will be renewable for up to four years. In addition, eight schools will receive awards of $500 each as semi-finalists, while a ninth school will receive the top school award of $1,000.

Applications for Sycamore Community Leadership Awards must be postmarked by June 29 and will be judged by a panel of state leaders. Winning schools will select their respective scholarship recipients. Additional details are available on their website at http://www.indstate.edu/publicservice Contact: Nancy Brattain-Rogers, director, Center for Public Service and Community Engagement, Indiana State University, (812) 237-2474 or nancyrogers@indstate.edu