Posted on Mar 31, 2016 in
FEATURES
Community Culture | By Zeenat Kassam Mitha –
YIP participants Shreya Desai and Cassie Moore volunteering by painting in the community.
Fort Bend youth are some of the most exemplary young men and women promoting a culture of community, leadership and giving back. When it comes to the extensive involvement of youth setting the bar for community service by high school students, Fort Bend teenagers are in a league of their own.
High school students involved with Fort Bend’s Grant-A-Starr Foundation are among those who exhibit leadership and prioritize giving back. In fact, the organization’s board is comprised of these high school students. Dolores and Rod Starr founded the Grant-A-Starr Foundation to celebrate the life of their son, Grant, a beloved seven-year-old boy who passed away from an unidentified virus the summer before he began second grade. “The non-profit foundation is created solely for the purpose of saving children’s lives through the advancement of rapid detection of life-threatening childhood infections, such as encephalitis and meningitis,” said Mike Ball, managing director for Grant-A-Starr.
Mike Ball speaking to an enthusiastic crowd at the Grant-A-Starr Family Fun Run. Photo by Michael Tollestrup.
The committee of young leaders rallies together each year to produce a Family 5K and One-Mile Fun Run/Walk. This year, the event is set for Saturday, April 2nd at Sugar Land Memorial Park. This year’s teen board president is Dylan Alexander, a senior at Clements High School and a childhood friend of Grant, who would have also been a senior this year. “All of this effort and energy I put into this is done in the memory of Grant,” said Dylan, who believes this year’s committee of young leaders shares his attitude toward Grant-A-Starr’s initiatives.
Another example of youth in action is Youth in Philanthropy (YIP), an organization comprised of Fort Bend junior and senior high school students. YIP provides youth the opportunity to experience how volunteerism and philanthropy coexist to serve their community. Approximately 175 students are selected each year as part of a journey to strengthen their connections with their community and each other.
The YIP team participates in site visits and volunteer projects with area non-profit organizations to increase their knowledge of the Fort Bend County non-profit sector. The students also meet to hear from some of Fort Bend County’s most inspiring leaders from business, the non-profit sector and the community-at-large. “YIP has educated me on the significant role non-profits play and the impact they make within our community,” said Cassie Moore, a YIP student volunteer.
More than 70 scholarships are then awarded to the students from the community-at-large. This year, the YIP luncheon was held on March 30th, when the students were notified of scholarships and awards and community members attended and celebrated with them. Investing in the lives of these future leaders is what the Fort Bend community is about. “At the end of the year, with knowledge and understanding of the community and their needs, the students evaluate local charities and put philanthropy into action by awarding monetary grants to participating nonprofits,” said Dee Koch, director of community engagement, The George Foundation.
Visit grantastarr.org to learn more about the Grant-A-Starr Foundation. For more information about YIP, visit thegeorgefoundation.org/program/youth-in-philanthropy or contact YIP@thegeorgefoundation.org.
To share your ideas for upcoming cultural stories and events, contact Cultural Correspondent Zeenat Kassam Mitha at zeenat@absolutelyfocusmedia.com
