McAuley YEP students present a $1,400 check and supplies to Joplin Schools Angel Fund.

Joplin TV station KOAM aired a report about the McAuley High School Spring 2010 YEP check presentation during their May 26th broadcast.   The McAuley Youth Empowerment Project presented a $1,400 check to Joplin Public Schools during an assembly Wednesday with administration from both school systems present to participate in the event.  The students, along with YEP sponsor Jane Fethers, designated the funds to be given to the Joplin Public Schools Angel Fund.  The Angel fund provides emergency and basic needs for elementary students in Joplin.  In addition to the grant, McAuley students also presented items they had collected throughout the school year including toiletries, shoes, socks, and gently used clothing.

The McAuley YEP is part of a network of 30 YEPS throughout the Missouri Ozarks. Students work to positively impact the community through education, service, grantmaking, and fundraising.

The Springfield Youth Empowerment Project (YEP) celebrated the completion of its 9th year of youth grantmaking in the Ozarks with a celebration and picnic at Phelps Grove Park on May 11.  The students recognized graduating seniors and welcomed new members, who will serve in the 2010-11 school year.  Springfield YEP students are from each high school in Springfield.  In total, Springfield YEP has granted more than $42,000 since its creation in 2001 with small, youth-oriented grants to organizations in Springfield that address youth-related community issues.

The 2010-11 YEP class is:

Central: Lauren Barnas, Anthony Ndikum, and Bryn Prater
Glendale: Ellyn Atkinson, Arleigh Atkinson, and Kendra Derryberry
Hillcrest: Andrew Edwards, Paige Moffis, and Nathan Loya
Kickapoo: Rachel McIntyre, Brooke McMillin, Spencer Price, and Chase Snider
Parkview: Hannah Eastman, Ellen Fogle, and Thomas Funk
Catholic: Jessica Bowman, Andrea Parker, and Christopher Wester
Greenwood: Sally H’Doubler, J.D. Mahaffey, Cory McCoy, and Claire Turner

Picture:  Glendale students (from left) Arleigh Atkinson, Ellyn Atkinson, and Kendra Derryberry meet with other 2010-11 YEP members from Springfield.

The Ozark High School Youth Empowerment Project was presented with a $2,500 prize on Monday, March 8th for creating a winning video in the Community Foundation of the Ozarks’ 60 Second Challenge video competition. The winning video, titled, “Someday We’ll All Be Philanthropists”, is student-created and developed piece which provides a 60 second synopsis of the work of the Ozark High School Youth Empowerment Project (YEPO). YEPO is a youth-driven component of the Finley River Community Foundation, an affiliate of the Community Foundation of the Ozarks.

Students at schools which are part of the Rural Schools Partnership were given an opportunity to create a 60 second web video. These videos speak of a challenge, project, or group in their school. Students were encouraged to be as concrete or as abstract as they liked. CFO received excellent submissions from throughout the Missouri Ozarks, and student members of the Springfield Youth Empowerment Project selected first, second, and three third place winners to receive monetary prizes to continue their good work.

To see all the challenge winners and to watch the videos, visit our website here:

60 Second Challenge

Picture: YEPO students and sponsors receive the $2,500 grant from CFO in a ceremony held March 8th at the Ozark High School auditorium.

The Springfield Youth Empowerment Project (YEP) recently made grants to seven organizations in Springfield to support youth-oriented and youth-driven projects.  They made presentations to these organizations on December 8th.

The Springfield YEP is made up of students from each high school in Springfield (Bailey, Springfield Catholic, Central, Glendale, Greenwood, Hillcrest, Kickapoo, and Parkview).  To see a full list of the grants the students made, follow the link:

 Springfield YEP Presents Grants

Picture:  Students from the Springfield YEP tour the Kitchen, Inc. and present a check to the organization to purchase beds for children staying at the facility.

The Youth Empowerment Project in Ozark will host their annual YEPO Talent Show this Sunday, October 11th at 2:00 p.m.. This event will be a fun-filled afternoon in the Ozark High School auditorium, and the proceeds from this event support the YEPO grantmaking program, which gives many quality grants each year to youth-oriented projects in Ozark. Additionally, the YEPO students will be making grant presentations at the end of the talent show to four youth-oriented projects. These grants were made possible with last year’s YEPO Talent Show proceeds.

Admission to this event is $5. Plan on attending!

Photo: 2008 YEPO talent show winners

Congratulations to J.C. on his retirement!

Further details will be forthcoming. Please mark your calendars and plan on attending! Last year we hosted over 200 students and sponsors from 31 schools in the Ozarks region. This conference is a great opportunity for students and sponsors to share ideas and thoughts on creating, sustaining, and strengthening youth empowerment projects. Read about last year’s Youth Philanthropy Conference here.

The Seymour Youth Empowerment Project recently made a grant to the Seymour High School YEP to help fund the annual Project Graduation event. Pictured is Sharlett Tiburcio of the Seymour YEP presenting the check to the Seymour Project Graduation committee. The funds will help pay for a safe and healthy lock-in for the senior class following their graduation ceremony. Congratulations to the Seymour YEP for continually raising funds and granting them to quality youth-oriented programs!

Sponsored by the Community Foundation of the Ozarks, YEP gives students a voice and a brings a unique, often under-represented perspective to help address the challenges faced by young people in our community through grantmaking, service, and education. In addition to Springfields YEP, CFO supports fifteen additional YEP programs throughout the Ozarks.

For more information about YEP, visit the YEP page of our web site.