The WW-P Education Foundation Youth Committee is a prime example of students helping students: they have raised nearly $45,000 over the past three years to help fund district-wide educational activities. “We are very proud of what we have accomplished; what we stand for,” says Natalie Wong, a senior at High School North and one of the Youth Committee’s co-presidents. “We are helping the district by giving back. We are raising money to help the next generation of kids learn.”
The Youth Committee is just one part of the larger WW-P Education Foundation, a nonprofit that raises money to provide educational programs that benefit the entire district. Some recent programs funded by the Education Foundation have included a wireless weather station for fourth grade meteorology and fifth grade chemistry classes; a starlab mobile classroom for third grade astronomy classes; and 3-D molecular models for use by high school biology classes.
According to Youth Committee co-president Prachi Mahableshawarkar, a senior at North, the primary vehicle behind the committee’s successful fundraising efforts is the “WW-P’s Got Talent,” the district-wide talent show. “The students on the committee, plan, publicize, and run this talent show every year. We have held the talent show every year for the past four years, and it really defines what our district is all about. It celebrates multicultural diversity, by showcasing various talents of students of all ages.” Participants have ranged in age from kindergartners to high schoolers, she adds.
The Youth Committee comprises approximately 30 students from the high schools and middle schools. Along with their parent mentors, the committee is already planning for next year’s talent show, which will be held on Saturday, May 2. While the mentors provide guidance and offer suggestions, the students do most of the legwork, including soliciting donations from local businesses and residents. They start this early, Wong explains, because they are trying to take advantage of corporate matching funds, which usually carry a deadline of December 31.
“There is a lot to do between now and May 2,” notes Technology Chair Daniel Grueneberg, a junior at North. “We need to raise a lot of money, make sure we have food and beverages for the show, make flyers and arrange for advertising, and design and make the program booklets. And we have to make sure all of the technical needs — sound, lighting, running crew — are met. Right now I am a committee of one, but I will need to recruit plenty of volunteers for all of the back-stage work.”
The Youth Committee strives to ensure that there is a full audience for the talent show, but, even more importantly, that students are aware of the program. “We want to attract as many student participants as possible,” says Mahableshawarkar. “The range and skill level of talent that is present in our district is unbelievable, and the talent show provides an opportunity for everyone to see that.”
Talent show auditions will be held on Friday to Sunday, February 6 to 8. In addition to seeking participants, the Youth Committee is also seeking volunteers, especially middle schoolers. The Youth Committee generally meets twice a month at High School South, with additional meetings for various subcommittees. For more information, E-mail info@wwpeducationfoundation.org.
