PHOENIXVILLE COMMUNITY HEALTH FOUNDATION
Phoenixville Area School District and the Youth & Philanthropy Program
Is Awarded the Association of Fundraising Professionals –
Greater Philadelphia Chapter’s “Youth in Philanthropy” Award.
On Thursday, November 19, 2009 the AFP Greater Philadelphia Chapter warded the Phoenixville Area School District Youth & Philanthropy Program their 2009 “Youth in Philanthropy” Award. The award ceremony took place at their National Philanthropy Day Award Luncheon held at the Marriott in Philadelphia. A contingent of students from the Middle School and High School accepted the award for the School District, cheered on by teachers, administrators and Foundation staff and board members.
In 2003 the Phoenixville Community Health Foundation [PCHF] Board of Directors approved the initiation of a Youth & Philanthropy Program within the Phoenixville Area School District [PASD]. The program’s original design was written by PCHF staff. In a partnership with the Phoenixville Area School District, the Phoenixville Area Middle School [PAMS], and the Phoenixville Area Senior High School [PAHS], the program was introduced to the students during the 2004-2005 school year.
This first year, PCHF staff took a major role in the management and facilitation of the program. Since then, PASD has taken an increasingly active role in the program’s management with the goal that in the 2007-2008 school year PCHF would hold a funding/advisory role only.
The program operates in both the Middle School and the High School. The PAMS program draws from 8th grade students and utilizes school staff as program facilitators. Each year up to fifteen 8th graders develop their own philanthropy program. With a budget of $6,800 annually they develop a mission statement, identify organizations that match with their stated mission, issue Requests-For- Proposals, assess applications, conduct site visits, and then decide how they will utilize their available funding: hands-on service projects and/or cash grants.
The PAHS program draws from 11th and 12th grade students. It is offered as an elective course for an unweighted .4 credit hour. The program is facilitated by school staff. With an annual budget of $10,000 the PAHS group decides how they will go about the business of philanthropy … each year and each group takes an individual approach to philanthropy.
In 2005 the Phoenixville Youth & Philanthropy program was awarded the Chester County Community Foundation’s Acorn Award for youth in philanthropy.
Over the past five years the Phoenixville Area Middle School Program has had seventy-three graduates, and granted out over $34,000 to twenty-six community organizations. The High School program has had fifty-three graduates, and has granted out over $52,000 to twenty-five organizations. Both addressing issues such as domestic violence and crime victims, the needs of underprivileged children and elderly, the needs of people with physical and mental disabilities, and peer issues such as date rape, bullying and self image.
From the Foundation’s perspective this program has exceeded our expectations. The program not only teaches the core elements of a philanthropic lifestyle, it also teaches the youth involved the skills needed for team-building, consensus-building, and leadership within their community. We often see graduates of this program continuing to be active in philanthropic pursuits within the Phoenixville community and the school community.