GRANTS AWARDED FOR YOUTH PROGRAMS BY THE YOUTH ADVISORY COMMITTEE OF THE M&M AREA COMMUNITY FOUNDATION  

The Youth Advisory Committee (YAC) of the M&M Area Community Foundation has awarded grants totaling $4,163 for 7 local youth programs.  The grants were awarded on Thursday, May 21, at a reception held at the Best Western, Marinette.  Since the Youth Advisory Committee began awarding grants in 1997, they have given over $176,000 to 93 different organizations within Marinette and Menominee Counties.    

Organizations receiving grants include: Menominee County, $500 for their Teen Court Program, DAR Boys & Girls Club, $500 for their 2009 Summer Day Camp, Garfield Elementary School $750 for their Recipe for Reading Success Program, Northern Lights Master Gardeners Association, $1,013 for the Creating a Children’s Learning Garden at Harmony Arboretum & Demonstration Gardens, Healthy Youth Coalition of Marinette & Menominee Counties, $500 for the Every 15 Minutes Program, Marinette County Sheriff’s Department, $500 for the Marinette County Jail Inmate Education Program/High School Diploma or GED Program, and Menominee High School Physics Class, $400 for their Physics Field Trip for Engineering Olympics 2010.

An additional $2,250 was also awarded by the Mary L. Staudenmaier Fund of the M&M Area Community Foundation.  The Menominee County Teen Court Program and the Marinette County Jail Inmate Education Program/High School Diploma or GED Program received an additional $500 each.  The YMCA received $1,000 for their Strong Kids Campaign and UW-Marinette received $450 for their Dictionary Project and $100 for the Undergraduate Research and Performance Conference.

Currently there are 14 YAC members from 4 local high schools.  Representing Menominee High School are Claire Anderson, Meghan Caley, Michael Caley, Brooke Freiss, Ryan Thomas and Melissa Wright.  Peshtigo High School students are Sara Anderson, Kellie Becker and Drew Mlsna.  St. Thomas Aquinas Academy students are Sarah Bradford and Caitlin Sevener.  Representing Marinette High School is Jesse Lentz, Isaac Mansur, and Kayla Mansur.  The YAC advisors are Cheryl Cadieu, Barb Killen and Judy Reid.

Seniors Kellie Becker, Caitlin Sevener, Sarah Bradford, Kayla Mansur, and Melissa Wright were honored by Dr. North Shetter, Foundation President, for their service to the Foundation.  With the loss of the seniors, new members will be needed.  YAC members and all friends of the Foundation are urged to encourage young people between the ages of 14 and 21 to consider joining the group as a way to give back to their communities.

For more information about the Youth Advisory Committee or to join, please contact the Foundation office at 906-864-3599.