Nearly 80 Seventh-, Eighth-, and Ningh-Grade Students Across Three Counties Participate in Ninth Annual Challenge
WATERTOWN — The Northern New York Community Foundation is pleased to announce $20,000 in Community Spirit Youth Giving Challenge grants to 20 nonprofit organizations that serve Jefferson, Lewis, and St. Lawrence counties.
Now in its ninth year, the Community Spirit Youth Giving Challenge was open to all tri-county seventh-, eighth-, and ninth-grade students. This year’s program committee reviewed 79 entries from seventh and eighth graders in 20 different school districts who recommended grants to nearly 70 different organizations that serve residents across the three counties.
Based on the quality of entries received this year, the Community Foundation has doubled the number of winners, which also doubles the impact that grant awards will have across the tri-county region.
Schools participating in the 2026 challenge include: Jefferson County — Belleville Henderson; Carthage; General Brown; Homeschooled student; Immaculate Heart Central; Indian River; Sackets Harbor; South Jeff; and Watertown City School District. Lewis County — Beaver River and Lowville Academy & Central School. St. Lawrence County — Canton; Gouverneur; Holy Name of Jesus Academy, Massena; Little River Community School; Madrid-Waddington; Massena; Morristown; Ogdensburg; and Potsdam Central School.
The initiative was launched in 2017 to introduce middle school students to concepts of philanthropy and community needs. The challenge seeks to engage youths as they explore the meaning of community and are empowered to recommend grants to support their concepts that strengthen the quality of life in the region. Students write an essay that articulates their definition of community and explains what makes it a great place to live, work and play. Participants are then asked to name a charitable organization that makes their community a better place through its service to residents.
“This program continues to provide students with a unique and real opportunity to think about the ways they want to see their community supported and consider how they can be part of making a difference,” said Rande S. Richardson, Community Foundation executive director. “We are hopeful this will help inspire a lifetime of service and giving back and build a heightened awareness of the wide range of community needs.”
In the past nine years, 153 students have been selected to present 149 grants totaling $100,000 to nearly 115 different nonprofit organizations that serve tri-county residents. Since the Community Spirit Youth Giving Challenge began, 1,040 students representing 28 school districts across the region have applied to the program, recommending grants to nearly 240 different charitable organizations.
Charitable organizations students selected for funding this year range from those that provide support for essential human needs, youth development, military veterans, first responders, and the elderly, to those that strengthen and enrich our communities through the arts, education, health and wellness, and recreation.
Gifts to the Friends of the Foundation Annual Community Betterment Fund, as well as corporate support from Community Bank and a major gift from an anonymous individual donor, help to underwrite program grants. A committee that included Community Foundation staff and a retired teacher judged and scored the applications with results as follows:
Jefferson County
- $1,000, Antwerp Food Pantry, Bailey Filkins, Indian River Middle School
- $1,000, Belleville Volunteer Fire Department, Megan Bernat, Belleville Henderson CSD
- $1,000, Boy Scouts of America Longhouse Council, Jason Shah, Immaculate Heart Central
- $1,000, Compassionate Care Foundation, Clarissa Nevala, Thousand Islands Middle School
- $1,000, Friends of Thompson Park, Niah-Kraig Thomas, Case Middle School
- $1,000, General Brown Care Closet, Catlin Leigha, General Brown High School
- $1,000, Guitars for Vets, Brendan Daugherty, Case Middle School
- $1,000, Henderson Harbor Water Sports Programs, Michael Butler, Homeschooled
- $1,000, Mannsville Free Library, Breckan Pelton, South Jefferson High School
- $1,000, Rohde Center, Rachel Pacella, South Jefferson Middle School
- $1,000, South Jeff Backpack Program, Lucas Valley, Belleville Henderson CSD
- $1,000, Stage Notes, James McDonough, Thousand Islands High School
- $1,000, The Arc Jefferson-St. Lawrence, Jackson Houppert-Logsdon, Case Middle School
Lewis County
- $1,000, Double Play Community Center, Aaron Reynolds, Lowville Academy & CSD
- $1,000, Friends of Lewis County Hospice, Ellie Herzig, Beaver River High School
St. Lawrence County
- $1,000, GardenShare, Maya O’Connor, Little River Community School, Potsdam
- $1,000, Morristown Fire Department, Hudson Belile, Morristown Central School
- $1,000, Morristown Public Library, Mariah Wright, Morristown Central School
- $1,000, North Country Children’s Museum, Natalie Vaverchack, Potsdam Middle School
- $1,000, Waddington Family Resource Center, Brynne Sharlow, Madrid-Waddington CSD
The Community Foundation and schools will work with winning students in the coming weeks to coordinate visits to their respective charitable agencies to present grants and learn more about the organizations they chose.
About the Northern New York Community Foundation
Since 1929, the Northern New York Community Foundation has invested in improving and enriching the quality of life for all in communities across Jefferson, Lewis, and St. Lawrence counties.
Through partnerships with businesses and organizations, charitable foundations, and generous families and individual donors, the Community Foundation awards grants and scholarships from an endowment and collection of funds that benefit the region. Its commitment to donors helps individuals achieve their charitable objectives now and for generations to come by preserving and honoring legacies of community philanthropy while inspiring others.
The Community Foundation is a resource for local charitable organizations, donors, professional advisors and nonprofit organizations. It also works to bring people together at its permanent home in the Northern New York Philanthropy Center to discuss challenges our communities face and find creative solutions that strengthen the region and make it a great place to live, work, and play.