Rising Sophomores, Juniors from All Jefferson County Schools Welcome to Apply
WATERTOWN — The Northern New York Community Foundation is now accepting applications for service on its Youth Philanthropy Council from all Jefferson County rising sophomores and juniors.
This is the second year the Foundation will welcome applications from students attending any of the county’s 13 public and private schools, as well as home-schooled students, provided they reside in a Jefferson County school district.
The Youth Philanthropy Council is an advisory committee of the Northern New York Community Foundation. It was chartered in 2010 to promote positive youth development and leadership while engaging young people in meaningful activities that build their skills and deepen their understanding of community needs and philanthropy and its impact on Northern New York. Council members collaborate with peers from multiple school districts to evaluate grant applications and allocate up to $25,000 to support local nonprofits and volunteer to help with various community service projects.
“Students who participate in this program often say that it is one of their most unique and meaningful high school leadership experiences,” said Rande S. Richardson, Community Foundation executive director. “We are hoping that students of all backgrounds and perspectives look at this as an opportunity to grow and explore their role in making their community a better place.”
At its core, the Youth Philanthropy Council is a student-led, adult-run leadership program. Council advisors are Emily Sprague, Community Foundation Board vice chair; Kraig Everard, Community Foundation director of philanthropy, Emily Pfeil, Community Foundation philanthropy associate, and Leslie Renzi, Community Foundation committee member.
Applications must be submitted by Friday, May 29, to Emily Pfeil. Contact Ms. Pfeil at emily@nnycf.org or 315-782-7110 between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. weekdays to obtain an application and learn more. Applications are also available for downloaded from the Community Foundation’s website at nnycf.org/youth-philanthropy-council
The Council includes up to 19 student delegates each year. Selection to serve is competitive and limited to up to seven open seats for the 2026-2027 academic year. Students selected for further consideration will be contacted to schedule an in-person interview during the summer. New Council members serve a one-year term, and are typically sophomores or juniors, with the opportunity to continue to serve in future academic years.
Council members meet once or twice a month from August through June, typically after school hours, at the Community Foundation’s Watertown office in the Northern New York Philanthropy Center. Members are expected to attend regularly and actively participate in discussions, nonprofit site visits, and grantmaking decisions. Throughout their term, students gain valuable leadership experience and develop essential skills such as critical thinking, communication, and professional boardroom conduct.
Since its inception in 2010, the Youth Philanthropy Council has awarded 155 grants totaling $285,070 insupport to nonprofit organizations that serve residents of Jefferson, Lewis, and St. Lawrence counties.
In the past 15 years, nearly 170 students representing eight Northern New York high schools have served or are presently serving on the Council.
This year’s Council includes 15 representatives from General Brown, Immaculate Heart, Lyme, andSouth Jefferson central schools, and Watertown High School. Council members are in their sophomore, junior, or senior class.
They are: Carthage High School: Valerie Akins, junior; General Brown Junior/Senior High School:Isabel Mendez, junior; Immaculate Heart Central High School: Julia Tontarski, junior; Lyme High School: Maxwell Hunt, junior; South Jefferson High School: Annabelle Renzi, junior, William Steward, senior, and Lydia Tremont, junior; Watertown High School: Gaige Doroha, Caitlin Daugherty, Hudson Guldenpfennig, Lucy Swartz, and Trey Urf, juniors; April Wang, senior, and Frances Weir, junior.
The Youth Philanthropy Council and its grant program are made possible by gifts from donors who make contributions to the Friends of the Foundation Community Betterment Annual Fund and generous support from Watertown Savings Bank, the Renzi Family Charitable Foundation, RBC Wealth Management Watertown, the Mart Liinve Fund, and the Timerman Family Fund.
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 familiesand individual donors, the Community Foundation awards grants and scholarships from an endowment andcollection 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.
