NCCo Young Philanthropists Award $15,500 to Nonprofits
The DCF’s New Castle County County YPB is composed of 24 New Castle County students from public, independent and diocesan high schools. Since September, YPB members have been studying youth issues in their neighborhoods and schools, learning about community service and grantmaking, and visiting nonprofit organizations.
This year’s New Castle County County YPB chose to focus on programs that assist veterans transition back to civilian life; and programs that help at-risk students in grades 9-12 prepare for life for post-high school. Special consideration was given to programs with a mentoring component.
This year’s recipients are:
Communities in Schools of Wilmington $1,000
This grant will provide funding for the workplace mentoring program, Professionals Helping Adolescents Succeed in Education (PHASE).
Connections, CSP $2,500
This grant will support the Veterans Connect to Success program, which will empower veterans and their families to access benefits, search for jobs, do their banking and develop other skills.
Delaware Adolescent Program, Inc. $2,500
This grant will support DAPI’s summer credit recovery program that is part of the Pathways to College program for pregnant and parenting teen girls.
Delaware Futures $2,500
This grant will support Delaware Futures’ mission of helping at-risk students in Wilmington complete high school and prepare for college.
Jobs for Delaware Graduates $2,000
The JDG program works with at-risk students in 25 high schools statewide to help them succeed in school and in life. This grant will pay for program supplies in each of these schools.
Nativity Preparatory School of Wilmington $2,500
This grant will support the Graduate Support Program, which engages staff to work with Nativity alumni who are in high school.
Urban Promise Wilmington $2,500
This grant will support the Street Leader Job Training Program, which puts at-risk students into positive leadership roles.
The Delaware Community Foundation sponsors a Youth Philanthropy Board in each Delaware county to encourage high school students to become more involved in philanthropy. Each board of high school students is allotted a pool of money to give as charitable grants. The students learn about philanthropy and effective grantmaking, study youth issues in their neighborhoods and schools, solicit grant proposals, conduct site visits, and award grants to those they determine to be most deserving.
Retired Delaware educator Phyllis Wynn established the Youth Philanthropy Fund in 1999 because she wanted to encourage youth to become more involved in philanthropic ventures. Students who serve on the YPB are nominated by their principal or guidance counselor.
“The Youth Philanthropy Board program does more than give kids the chance to make a difference,” DCF President & CEO Stuart Comstock-Gay said. “It gets them out into the community to experience firsthand the impact their work has on people’s lives.”
2015-16 New Castle County YPB
| Student | Grade | School |
| Jake Barks | junior | St. Elizabeth High School |
| Marguerite Beane | senior | Padua Academy |
| Scott Bernetich | sophomore | Charter School of Wilmington |
| Jacob Campbell | junior | William Penn High School |
| Alina Caulfield | senior | Sanford School |
| Gabriella daPonte | senior | Red Lion Christian Academy |
| Samantha Drummond | senior | Wilmington Christian School |
| Patrick Lyons | senior | Salesianum School |
| Megan McCormick | junior | Newark Charter School |
| Collin Megee | senior | Cab Calloway School of the Arts |
| Lange Scanlan | senior | Tower Hill School |
| Shefali Waghray | senior | Mount Pleasant High School |
| Richiah Fayson | junior | Newark High School |
| Kaitlin Friswell | senior | Howard High School of Technology |
| Cameron Hines | senior | St. Andrew’s School |
| Katherine Hosey | senior | Ursuline Academy |
| Nicole Kennedy | sophomore | Conrad Schools of Science |
| Jason Kramer | senior | Tatnall School |
| David Walczak | senior | Tall Oaks Classical School |
| Connor Ward | senior | St. George’s Tech |
| Joseph White | junior | St. Mark’s High School |
| Laura Williams | senior | Archmere Academy |
| Jasmine Winslow | senior | Delaware Military Academy |
| Tim Weihang Zhang | senior | A.I. du Pont High School |
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