Area students give back to their community

    Houlton and Hodgdon Jobs for Maine Graduates (JMG) participants recently learned about the process for awarding grant monies, as each group was presented with $1,000 from the Jumpstart Our Youth Program (JOY) to be used within the community on a non-profit agency that works with youth.
    “We learned so much about the grant making process,” said Houlton JMG student Emily Gendron. “But, more importantly, we learned a lot about our community.”
    The JOY grant is given as a youth philanthropy program sponsored by the Unity Foundation and is a special project designed to teach students about the responsibilities and rewards of philanthropy.
    “We learned what a nonprofit organization is and what it does,” said Hodgdon JMG president Brianna Hanington. “Many of our students were familiar with different nonprofits, but they weren’t quite sure about what made them a nonprofit.”
HOULTON JMG – The Houlton Jobs for Maine Graduates decided to award their $1,000 JOY grant to the Houlton High School Community Arts Center. Gathered together after the presentation on March 13 were, from left, kneeling, Alison Robshaw, Loryn Moran, Amber Flewelling, Amelia Butler, Jordan Codrey, Caleb Richardson, Cory Farwell and Courtney McLaughlin; middle, Elizabeth Anderson and Sandra Wilkins, members of SAD 29 school board; Lynn Tweedie, member of the Houlton Community Arts Center commmitte; Tiffany Tucker, Tiffany Carmichael, Bridgette Goguen, Talyor Morris and Martha McPartland; back, Houlton High School Principal Marty Bouchard, Brittany Clark, Brandon McGuire, Kelsey Harris, Taylor Martin, Joe Holmes, Fred Grant, Houlton Rotary chairman; Joe  Fagnant Houlton Community Arts Center chairman; SAD 29 Superintendent Steve Fitzpatrick; JMG  Board of Directors Jenna McGuire and Ethan McGary and Dee Butler, JMG instructor.
    Both schools handled the review process a bit differently. The Hodgdon JMG divided into groups and reviewed the applications, presenting their findings to the whole class.
    “We each learned about nonprofits looking for funding for their programs, but we also turned it into an activity of learning how to communicate and teach other,” said Hanington. “Instead of just looking at the applications, we became familiar with each applicant through guest speakers. This allowed us to ask questions we stumbled upon and it allowed the applicant to validate their program.”
    The Houlton and Hodgdon JMG groups spent days looking over the proposals, interviewing candidates, analyzing budgets and narrowing their search down.
    “It was quite a process,” Gendron said. “But, it was fun.”
    The Hodgdon students narrowed their choices down to four: the Houlton Parks and Recreation Department, Edge Ministries, Make-A-Wish Foundation and the Battered Women’s Project.
    “The voting process was top secret,” explained Hanington. “It was set up like a tribal council on Survivor.  When it came time to vote there were ballots and a closed container at the front of the room. At the top of the ballots, we offered the opportunity to vote for two nonprofit groups to split the $1,000 or the choice to give the full $1,000 to one of the groups.”
    In the end, the Hodgdon JMG voted on giving the Houlton Parks and Recreation Department the $1,000 grant money.
    “We are helping 150 kids in our community,” Hanington explained. “Some of the kids wouldn’t have the opportunity to have a summer vacation without the “Just for Kids” program.
    The “Just for Kids” program originated in the 1950s, as the rec department sponsored playground programs at the local schools. It was a “drop-in” program where children from neighborhood schools could come after school to participate in games and crafts. As the schools began to close within the neighborhoods, the rec centered the program at Community Park.
    In the ‘70s, the official name — Just for Kids Playground — was set up. Children attend in the summer Monday through Friday 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. for seven weeks.
    “At this program, not only are crafts and games offered, there are a variety of activities such as cooking, gardening, fitness fun, group time events and special event morning and more,” said Hanington.
    The Houlton JMG students presented their $1,000 grant to a program right in their own school, the renovation and expansion of a Community Arts Center.
HODGDON JMG – The Hodgdon Jobs for Maine Graduates decided to award their $1,000 JOY grant to the Houlton Parks and Recreation Department to use for its playground improvement. After the ceremony on March 13 were, from left, front Amanda Ryan, Samantha Lycette, Dayna Tidd and Jessica Garza; middle, Brianna Hanington, Cody Hand, Heather Rockwell, Harley Wiggins, Marie Carmichael, program coordinator at the Houlton Parks and Recreation Department and Sue Tortello, Houlton Town Council member; back, Kara Wright, JMG instructor; SAD 70 Superintendent  Bob McDaniel, Jetta Dame, Katelyn Duff, Hodgdon High School Principal Clark Rafford, Berny Reece, director of Houlton Parks and Recreation Department and Houlton Town Manager Doug Hazlett.
    “The JMG donation to the HCAC will go toward seat purchases for the new auditorium. With their $1,000 donation, the Houlton JMG will be able to purchase seats and also be able to place their organization name or recognize students as donors on those seats,” said Joe Fagnant, Houlton Community Arts Center chairman and SAD 29 band director. “It is great to have students be part of the ongoing fund-raising efforts and is wonderful that JMG has invested in the future of a community arts center.”
    “Our second choice was the “Just for Kids” program so we were really happy that Hodgdon chose that group,” said Gendron. “Our first choice was a program we’ve heard a lot about. The donation will allow for four new seats to be replaced in the auditorium over the summer. We are excited for all of the plans the Community Arts Center committee has in store not just for the school, but the community.”