HCI funds 15 “Investing in Youth” grants to benefit area youth

At their April 2013 board meeting, the Northfield Healthy Community Initiative (HCI) Board approved grants to support four projects and activities designed to benefit Northfield youth and 11 Service Learning projects designed by Arcadia middle school students.  The projects are all funded through HCI’s Investing in Youth grant program.

Funded projects included:

Summer Slide Prevention Program
Designed by teachers at Sibley Elementary School, this is a summer reading program that will support parents in their efforts to keep their elementary children reading and to preserve effective reading skills through the non-school summer months.

English Language Learners Year-End Celebration
Students in the Northfield High School English Language Learner (ELL) program arranged a year-end celebration of academic success.  The aim of the project is to recognize academic accomplishments throughout the year and foster increased school connectedness.

Autism Awareness
April is Autism Awareness Month. Tonya Yarmakov, a student, is organizing a gathering of her autism class members and their families in order to formally thank the staff members that work with the group.  Tonya is also organizing two bowling events for students involved in the autism program.

Cinco de Mayo Celebration
TEAM UP teachers at the Northfield Middle School planned the 3rd annual Cinco de Mayo Celebration where students and their families could celebrate and learn about Latino culture.  There were dance groups performing for the entertainment of students and their families.  The Tattered Pages Bookstore was also be open for families.

.

Arcadia Middle School Service Learning Projects

Service learning is a teaching method that enriches learning by engaging students in meaningful service to their schools and communities.  HCI approved small start-up grants for the following projects designed by Arcadia Charter School middle school students:

1. Campfire Night.  A campfire and night games event meant for school bonding and for raising awareness for the Save the Depot campaign.
2. Donating Books to Women in Prison.  This was a book drive with donated books and funds to be sent to the Women’s Prison Book Project.
3. Blanket Making and Donating.  Students made blankets for Ruth’s House of Hope.
4. Bake Sale for Children with Cancer.  A fundraiser for the Children’s Hospitals of Minnesota’s cancer facility.
5. Prairie’s Edge Humane Society Fundraiser.  A bake sale fundraiser for the Prairie’s Edge Humane Society.
6. Soda Floats.  This was an event benefiting the Community Action Center’s Food Shelf.
7. Lollipop Sale.  This was a fundraiser for Ruth’s House of Hope.
8. Wreck-It Ralph Movie Night.  A fundraiser for Pennies for Peace, a non-profit organization that raises money to build schools in Afghanistan and Pakistan.
9. Helping Prairie’s Edge Humane Society.  Students made animal treats and toys for the animals of Prairie’s Edge Humane Society.
10. Bake Sale for Red Pandas.  A fundraiser dedicated to the preservation of Red Pandas.
11. Project Universal.  An event to benefit the Wounded Warrior Project, a non-profit that helps wounded soldiers and veterans.

*************************************************

HCI offers Investing in Youth grants to projects and activities that:

• provide the opportunity for young people to develop positive intergenerational relationships with caring adults and/or
• connect Northfield youth with their communities (ex. neighborhood, school, wider Northfield)

Applications are reviewed monthly and are due by the second Monday of the month.  Visit www.northfieldhci.org/investinginyouthgrants for more information and to access the easy-to-complete application.

Funding for the HCI Investing in Youth grants program comes from the Northfield Hospital & Clinics, Northfield Area United Way, MMIC Health IT, and Allina Medical Clinic-Northfield.