Cascades Academy students make grants to nonprofits

Ninth- and tenth-grade students at Cascades Academy are wrapping up their community grant-making class through the Oregon Community Foundation’s Community 101 Program this year. They will award $5,000 to local non-profits at an awards ceremony on Tuesday , May 16th at 8am on the Cascades Academy campus.

“We have been thrilled to participate in a program that so beautifully fuses our commitment to Service and Experiential Learning. Here at Cascades Academy, service to our school, local community, and broader world is an integral part of our mission,” said Claire Brislin, Humanities Teacher and Class Advisor.

Community 101 is a classroom-based program that gives students the opportunity to get involved in their communities through grantmaking and volunteering. It’s an innovative collaboration of schools, businesses and charitable organizations that gives students the tools to bring about positive change in their communities. Used by teachers throughout Oregon, the program lends itself to instructional use in civic engagement, global literacy, critical thinking, public speaking, use of technology, and community involvement.

“Our hope is that Community 101 students take this experience with them throughout high school, college and their adult lives. We’d like them to look back and remember what it felt like to give time and/or money to causes they care about and in turn, continue to support their community through charitable giving and volunteering. Whether it’s $5 or 5 hours, students can make a difference,” said Cheryl Puddy, Associate Program Officer/Regional Coordinator for The Oregon Community Foundation.

Students received a $5,000 allocation for grantmaking in the areas of arts and culture, education, the environment and healthy families. They identified community needs, decided where to focus, and then implemented a grant program.

According to Brislin, “Students are at the heart of this process, taking the lead on choosing their area of focus, writing a mission statement, mailing and reviewing applications, interviewing applicants through site visits, and ultimately deciding where to donate the money.”

On Tuesday , the program will culminate in an official awards ceremony to honor the organizations the class chose to receive grants: Saving Grace and Mountainstar Family Relief Nursery .