The Community Foundation of Teton Valley celebrated the success of its third annual Youth Philanthropy Program with an awards ceremony held Thursday, April 10th at Teton High School. Students and representatives from several local nonprofits gathered together to honor each other’s philanthropic work over pizza, salad, cookies and camaraderie.
“I have always been supportive of community service in our community. This definitely changed my perception because I realized how much our community needs,” said Teton High School student, Jessica Carson.
Twenty-six students in Rose Hendrick’s dual-enrollment Government class participated in this year’s program and worked with the Community Foundation of Teton Valley to award $3,000 to local nonprofits. Students reviewed grant applications from fourteen organizations, ultimately choosing five they felt presented to the most compelling and impactful projects for their consideration. The students chose to award $500 to the Teton Valley Community Animal Shelter for a Kennel Enrichment program, $600 to the Teton Valley Hospital Foundation for the purchase of a QuickThaw Plasma Thawing System, $600 to the Teton Valley Education Foundation for their “Empowering Our Teachers” program, $600 to Tetonia Elementary for their PTO Outdoor Classroom, and $700 to Subs for Santa for their Christmas Gifts for Teens program.
When asked what she learned during her participation in the Youth Philanthropy Program, Teton High School student Emma Hodgson reported, “This project exposed me to the variety of issues that are important in the valley. I hadn’t realized how many different causes were present here.”
About the Community Foundation of Teton Valley
The mission of the Community Foundation of Teton Valley is to improve lives through the power of generosity. It seeks to achieve its mission by supporting the nonprofit sector, maximizing the impact of the valley’s donors, promoting a culture of giving, and serving as a catalyst in addressing critical community needs. The Community Foundation presents the Tin Cup Challenge, an annual fundraiser that in just six years has raised almost $6 million for Teton Valley nonprofits. For more information, please visit www.cftetonvalley.org or call the office at (208) 354-0230.
