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Youth Giving Council awards more than $8,000 in grants for youth-related programs in Summit County

Daily News staff report

In December, the Youth Giving Council at Summit High School awarded $8,510 in grants to 16 local nonprofit and student organizations. Comprised of students from the Summit High School Leadership class, the Youth Giving Council was created in the fall of 2012 by The Summit Foundation. The group focuses on teaching youth about philanthropy while allowing high school students to participate in the grant process.

The Summit Foundation’s events and marketing coordinator Elisabeth Lawrence and trustee Gini Bradley led the students through creating a funding priority, developing a grant application, determining a deadline for submission and then sharing the opportunity with local nonprofits and student groups. Groups applied to the council for mini-grants (up to $1,000) that would have a significant impact on Summit County youth. The council then reviewed the applications and determined their grant award amounts. This is the second cycle of grant awards for the Youth Giving Council.

Funds awarded by the Youth Giving Council have been provided through a partnership among The Summit Foundation, Breckenridge Grand Vacations and The Summit Foundation’s ski area partners. The Summit Foundation provides program funding in the interest of teaching youth about philanthropy. Breckenridge Grand Vacations awarded a grant to the Youth Giving Council. Vail Resorts, Copper Mountain Resort and Arapahoe Basin Ski Area provided The Summit Foundation the opportunity to sell one additional patron pass with transferrable ski privileges specifically to raise funds for the Youth Giving Council.



The students awarded grants to these groups for the following projects:

The Summit Foundation’s events and marketing coordinator Elisabeth Lawrence and trustee Gini Bradley led the students through creating a funding priority, developing a grant application, determining a deadline for submission and then sharing the opportunity with local nonprofits and student groups.

After Prom Committee – scholarships for youth to attend and entertainment for the evening



Breckenridge Outdoor Education Center – Adaptive Ski program for Summit County Youth

Dillon Valley Elementary Math Olympiad – afterschool math enrichment program

Dillon Valley Elementary Folkloric Dance Group – costumes for the Folkloric Dance program

Family, Career, and Community Leaders of America – youth soccer and nutrition clinic

Girl Scout Troop 4061 – Soda Creek greenbelt bluebird enhancement

High Country Conservation Center – Summit CSA internship

Keystone Science School – Fourth Grade Astronomy program in Summit School District

Summit High School ELA & Math Departments – Calculator lending lab

Summit High School Special Education – Adaptive Ski program at BOEC

Summit Middle School 6th Grade Language Arts – Leveled library for high-interest reading

Summit Cove Elementary – scholarships for SOS program

Summit High Tech Club – Solar Rollers competition

Summit in Honduras – Spanish Honor Society volunteer trip

Upper Blue Elementary Family Literacy – children’s class while parents attend ESL class with Colorado Mountain College

Upper Blue Elementary Art of Giving – afterschool art and culture club

The Youth Giving Council members and their respective grades are: Valentina Blass (11th), Emily Carlson (11th), Morgan Courtney (11th), Rachel Fitch (11th), Joel Gomez (12th), Natalie Gray (9th), Meg Heil (12th), Tom Kalina (10th), Claire MacMurray (11th), Cait McCluskie (10th), Bailey Radek (10th), and Billy Wilcox (11th).

Grant applications for the Youth Giving Council’s Spring 2014 cycle will be available in February 2014.

For more information, contact The Summit Foundation at 970.453.5970.


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