Springfield YEP Grant Rounds
On April 15, 2008 the Springfield Youth Empowerment Project (YEP) students presented Spring 2008 grant checks to eight organizations. Information on these organizations, the projects funded, and corresponding photos of each check presentation are below. Please select the thumbnail to see the larger image.
Big Brothers, Big Sisters of the Ozarkswas presented a check for $495.38. With this grant, the organization will be able to purchase 60 copies of “A Big, Little Book of Fun” to be given to new “Bigs” (adult mentors) as they begin their year-long weekly commitment to an underprivileged child. Molly Carnahan, a senior at Greenwood Laboratory School, solicited this grant.
Springfield YEP students presented a check for $315 to Isabel’s House, Crisis Nursery of the Ozarks, Inc. These funds will be used to purchase backpacks for children staying at Isabel’s House. This grant was solicited by Hillary Fisk, a senior at Glendale High School.
Springfield YEP students presented a check for $497.76 to the Family Violence Center. These funds will provide for a supply of new socks and underwear for children in need who are brought to the Family Violence Center. “This grant is not glamorous, but it is essential and serves a very YEP-oriented purpose of assisting children in need,” said Allie Prater, a senior at Central High School. Prater solicited this grant for YEP.
The Ozarks Literacy Council was presented with a check for $141 to assist with a soon-to-be-developed children’s literacy program that promotes reading to young children. Funds will be used to purchase books for the program.
Springfield YEP students presented a check for $300 to the Glendale High School Portfolio Class. The grant funds will be used to continue the Memory Project, a program that involves art and Spanish classes at Glendale High School by providing children who live overseas hand-drawn portraits as well as translated letters from each student artist. Glendale students solicited this grant for YEP.
The Robberson Elementary SchoolSpecial Education Department was granted $500 to fund supplies to assist children with concentration issues. Special Education teacher Alice Parker noticed a significant improvement in the educational performance of her students when they were given a high protein snack and asked for funds to further this project. Asheigh Fees, a junior at Hillcrest High School and a student volunteer in Parker’s classroom, solicited the grant.
The Springfield YEP presented Pleasant View Middle SchoolCounseling Department with a check for $400 to fund the “Girls Night Out” project for the 08-09 school year. Funds will provide for once-a-month after school projects for approximately 30 at-risk middle school girls. This program focuses on fostering relationships among students and on improving attendance and connectedness to school. Ginny Rogers, a senior at Hillcrest High School, solicited this YEP grant.
Additionally, the Missouri State University Club de Cuentos received a grant for $200 for their literacy program for Latino immigrant children that are ages 3-10. This grant will fund 15 “I-Spy” books. These books are valuable tools in language education because they help children associate images with English words.
