YGC Awards Grants to Community at Annual Dinner

The Scott County Youth Grantmaking Council awarded almost $2,000 in grants to youth-related projects in the community at a grants dinner held June 3 at First Southern Baptist Church.

Austin Middle School will receive $304.99 for “Popping Up a Future.” Lee Anne Hahn’s classroom will purchase a popcorn popper which will allow students with cognitive disabilities to train to use the equipment, interact with others while selling the popcorn, practice on money skills and enjoy the fruits of their labor. These are valuable skills that the students will be able to take with them to the workforce. They will sell the popcorn at lunch and offer for sale to teachers for popcorn parties.

Kentucky Harvest will receive $480 for the “Blessings in a Backpack” program. Students in Scott County School District 2 and Austin Elementary who have little or no food on the weekends during the school year will be provided with a backpack filled with food.

The Scott County Soccer Club will receive $250 for “Helping Scott County Youth Reach Their Goal.” The club will use their grant as matching funds to assist youth with the registration fee who cannot afford to play soccer otherwise.

Scottsburg High School will receive $345.90 for “Enjoying the Works of William Shakespeare.” Dawn Jenkins’ project was to find an alternate way of teaching Shakespeare to English 10 students. She purchased graphic novels for students, which have the Shakespeare plays in their entirety, but put alongside pictures in a comic book.

Scottsburg High School will receive $500.90 for “Scottsburg High School Fitness Center.” Fitness equipment will be purchased for the new fitness center at the school.

“It makes me feel good that we can help other children all around Scott County that don’t have the chances that some may have,” said grants committee chairman Koby Hawkins. “I love being a part of this process.”

Scott County Youth Grantmaking Council officers and committee chairpersons were also recognized. Members of the YGC include Sera Craig, Domonique Dobson, Lauren Howser, Kevin Jentzen, Joey Payne, Hunter Steinkamp, Keeli Stewart and Jerel Taylor of Scottsburg High School; Carmen Boley, Brandon Boswell, Lindsey Boswell, Braden Hale, Evan Howser, Kaleb Mount, Haley Mullins, Jordan Shuler, Braxton Soloe and Luke Taylor of Scottsburg Middle School; Kayla Griffen and Caity Rice of Austin High School; Koby Hawkins of Austin Middle School and Isaiah Turner of Turner Academy Homeschool.

Officers are Jerel Taylor, president; Isaiah Turner, vice president; Caity Rice, secretary; Brandon Boswell, treasurer; and Lauren Howser, parliamentarian. Committee chairpersons include Carmen Boley, asset development; Koby Hawkins, grants; Kevin Jentzen, governance; Domonique Dobson, community service; and Jerel Taylor, conference planning.

In addition, due to the overwhelming response of students who wished to serve on the YGC, the community service committee was expanded and membership was opened to anyone who wished to serve. The committee performs monthly service projects throughout the community, such as stocking shelves at the Clearinghouse, cleaning at the Scott County Heritage Center and Museum, and weeding at Lake Iola during the United Way of Scott County Day of Caring. Members on this committee include Justice Gabbard of Grace Christian Academy; Ally Ingalls of Austin High School; Sidney McDonald, Caleb White and Tyler White of Scottsburg Middle School; and Cody Smith of Scottsburg High School.

To view pictures, visit www.facebook.com/ScottCountyYGC or visit the Photo Gallery on our website. To donate to the YGC's endowment fund so that they may award future grants, mail your tax-deductible donation to: Scott County Community Foundation, PO Box 25; Scottsburg, IN 47170, or stop in the office at 60 N. Main St., Scottsburg.