Youth Grantmakers in Action
Bringing Youth Voices to the Table
Youth Grantmakers in Action (YGA) creates an avenue for youth, ages 15–18, to play a meaningful role in philanthropy in Forsyth County.
YGA is a diverse and youth-led group who live in or attend school in Forsyth County. They come together to gain leadership experience, represent youth in their community, voice their opinions, and make grants to youth-directed projects that address community issues and challenges in Forsyth County.
The program supports authentic, working partnerships between youth grantmakers and other youth who are creating meaningful projects for community change.
2018-2019 Youth Grantmakers in Action
- Jane Antonas, East Forsyth High School
- Zavera Basrai, West Forsyth High School
- Najashi Belcher, Atkins High School
- Tucker Bowman, Reagan High School
- Jayden Brown, Salem Academy
- Vivian Caldwell, J.F. Kennedy High School
- Hamia Clemons, Reagan High School
- Austin Cook, Reagan High School
- Olivia Fleming, Walkertown High School
- Harris Gregg, Reynolds High School
- Karina Hernandez-Reyes, Atkins High School
- Allison Hiersteiner, Reynolds High School
- Makayla Jackson, East Forsyth High School
- Rhyan Johnson, Mt. Tabor High School
- Marcos Lammel, Forsyth Country Day School
- Caleb Lumpkin, Reynolds High School
- Daisy Orozco, Parkland High School
- Nicholas RiCharde, Mt. Tabor High School
- DeMorris Samuel, Atkins High School
- Anahi Sanchez-Tapia, North Forsyth High School
- Taylor Simmons-Parsons, Early College of Forsyth
- Kekoa Thompkins, Forsyth Tech Middle College
- Dante Tongogara, Parkland High School
- Eleanor Tyson, Parkland High School
Grants for Youth-Led Projects
YGA makes grants annually to youth-led projects that address community issues and challenges and that have a positive impact on other youth. Grant applications from youth-led groups are due in late January of each school year, and grant decisions are made by April.
2018 Grant Recipients
- East Forsyth Key Club: $400 to make care packages for homeless youth
- Forsyth Backpack Program Club: $1,500 to host a food packing event at Forsyth County Day's Middle School
- Love's UMC Youth: $400 for a community garden
- Mt. Tabor United Methodist Youth Orchestra: $700 to provide private music lessons to youth living at Crossnore School and Children's Home
- Parkland Outreach Dream Team: $775 to take Hispanic/Latino middle school students on a college tour of Wake Forest University
- Reagan High School Girls Service Club: $500 to host a Riverwood Therapeutic Riding Center event
- Reagan High School Young Black Male Achievers: $1,000 to provide a scholarship to a senior Young Black Male Achievers member
- THETA Program and Scholarship Fund: $1,000 for a high school theatre awards gala created to raise scholarship funds for a theatre summer enrichment program
- Walkertown High School FCCLA: $750 to provide books and toys to youth staying at a shelter for victims of domestic violence
How to Get Involved
Join YGA
If you’re 15–18 years old and live in or attend school in Forsyth County, then you’re eligible to apply! YGA’s program runs from August through April of each school year, and applications to join YGA for the next shool year are available on the Foundation’s website in April.
Donate
Adult Advisor: Andrea Hulighan, The Winston-Salem Foundation
Facilitator: Fred Baker, Leading to Change