Area youth's community service recognized
Rachel Morgan
Issue date: 4/24/08 Section: News
On April 22, Wittenberg University held the annual Youth as Resources reception, which celebrated the accomplishments of Springfield youth and the service projects that they have completed with the help of the surrounding community. The reception was also a celebration of the merging of Youth as Resources of Clark County with the Springfield Foundation.
"The significance of this event was that it is the kickoff of The Springfield Foundation taking over the housing of YAR from our department," said Kathy Voytko of the Education department "It is a big deal for the community as funds will be more readily available for area youth to do community service projects."
Student coordinators of the event, Meribeth Wright and Valerie Elliot, stressed the importance of programs like Youth as Resources to the surrounding community.
"Youth as Resources supports the empowerment of youth by offering opportunities for young people to plan, implement, and reflect upon service projects that make a difference in the community," Elliot said. "Every year, we have a celebration in the spring to bring members of the community and youth, who have received grants from us, together to celebrate their involvement in the community and recognize the projects they have done."
The merging of YAR and the Springfield Foundation is a huge step for the program, said the organizers.
"This year the celebration is even more special. Not only are we celebrating the accomplishments of the youth who planned service projects, but we are celebrating the merging of Youth as Resources here in Clark County with the Springfield Foundation," Elliot said. "We are joining forces with the Springfield Foundation to keep providing grants to youth who are doing service projects to better our community"
Youth as Resources is also implementing a new program this year, called Community Conversations. These conversations will be between youth and adults talking as equals about what it means to be a good person and to give back to the community.
"These conversations are important, because they will help us all focus on what it means to be actively involved in making Springfield and Clark County a better place to live," Elliot said. "Our goal for these conversations is to bring a combination of 30 youth and adults together at the same tables to discuss important, difficult questions dealing with community service."
The first Community Conversation is scheduled for April 29, which will discuss the question, who are our heroes and models? In the fall conversations, other questions such as what helps us be kind when we might not want to be kind?, how do we know if our gifts help? and what can I uniquely give?
"The significance of this event was that it is the kickoff of The Springfield Foundation taking over the housing of YAR from our department," said Kathy Voytko of the Education department "It is a big deal for the community as funds will be more readily available for area youth to do community service projects."
Student coordinators of the event, Meribeth Wright and Valerie Elliot, stressed the importance of programs like Youth as Resources to the surrounding community.
"Youth as Resources supports the empowerment of youth by offering opportunities for young people to plan, implement, and reflect upon service projects that make a difference in the community," Elliot said. "Every year, we have a celebration in the spring to bring members of the community and youth, who have received grants from us, together to celebrate their involvement in the community and recognize the projects they have done."
The merging of YAR and the Springfield Foundation is a huge step for the program, said the organizers.
"This year the celebration is even more special. Not only are we celebrating the accomplishments of the youth who planned service projects, but we are celebrating the merging of Youth as Resources here in Clark County with the Springfield Foundation," Elliot said. "We are joining forces with the Springfield Foundation to keep providing grants to youth who are doing service projects to better our community"
Youth as Resources is also implementing a new program this year, called Community Conversations. These conversations will be between youth and adults talking as equals about what it means to be a good person and to give back to the community.
"These conversations are important, because they will help us all focus on what it means to be actively involved in making Springfield and Clark County a better place to live," Elliot said. "Our goal for these conversations is to bring a combination of 30 youth and adults together at the same tables to discuss important, difficult questions dealing with community service."
The first Community Conversation is scheduled for April 29, which will discuss the question, who are our heroes and models? In the fall conversations, other questions such as what helps us be kind when we might not want to be kind?, how do we know if our gifts help? and what can I uniquely give?
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