Scott County Youth Grantmaking Council Awards Grants To Community

Shown above, from left: President Evan Comer welcomes attendees to the 2009 Grants Dinner. Erin Lapp and Patricia Bacala make a presentation to the Scott County Community Foundation. Vice President Jerel Taylor thanks everyone for attending.

The Scott County Youth Grantmaking Council awarded over $2,200 in grants to youth-related projects in the community at a grants dinner held June 4 at Anthony’s Italian Ristorante.

• Austin Recycling Guild at Austin High School was awarded $290 to build a bicycle-power generator. The goal of the Guild is to expand their services to provide educational material and support for sustainable practices, energy conservation, pollution prevention and healthy lifestyles.
• Austin Learning Center received a grant for $650 for 50 at-risk students to attend a three-day adventure to Wonder Valley Camp. The students will engage in team building activities, with the goal for the students to be empowered to make definitive follow-up actions as they realize that they can make a difference by the choices they make.
• Austin Middle School was awarded $432.83 to purchase a Nintendo Wii Fit for students with disabilities in order to increase their activity level as well as gain motor skills to help them in many areas of everyday living.
• Johnson Elementary School received a grant for $163.10 to stock their greenhouse with plants and insects for the students to study and use as a service project. The goal is to provide students with hands-on learning as well as understand the importance of the environment.
• Scott County Family YMCA was awarded $400 to improve and enhance their Teen Night program. The purpose of the program is to provide a fun and safe environment for all youth of Scott County to gather, and will include themed nights and activities.
• Scottsburg High School received a grant for $300 to build a film library of historic, popular and classic American films for the American Studies course. The purpose is for students to gain basic knowledge of cultural references and points in history.

Scott County Youth Grantmaking Council officers and committee chairpersons were also recognized. Members of the Council include Patricia Bacala, Evan Comer, Joey Payne and Jerel Taylor of Scottsburg High School; Carmen Boley, Brandon Boswell, Lauren Howser, Kevin Jentzen, Braxton Soloe, Hunter Steinkamp, Keeli Stewart and Luke Taylor of Scottsburg Middle School; Lindsey Boswell of Vienna-Finley Elementary; Rachael Dixon, Kayla Griffen and Caity Rice of Austin Middle School; Erin Lapp of Austin High School; Kaleb Mount of Scottsburg Elementary; Jordan Shuler of Lexington Elementary; and Isaiah Turner of Turner Academy Homeschool.

To view pictures from the grants dinner, go to the Photo Gallery on the Resources page.