The Community Youth Foundation was organized in the Spring of 2006 to address the needs of youth in Wheatland and Platte County. We are a grassroots community development pilot project primarily funded by Wind and Wings, a charitable foundation of the Episcopal Diocese of Wyoming. Our objective is to become self supporting through private donations and grants from other charitable organizations.
Our principal projects consist of a variety of mentoring programs and work on a community center. We were recently awarded a $25,000 Community Development Block Grant from the Wyoming Business Council to conduct a feasibility study for a community and recreation center!
Additionally, in August we were awarded $15,000 from the Daniels Fund for Platte P.O.W.E.R. (Positive attitudes, Overcoming challenges, Willingness to try, Encouraging others, and Respect for all)! The Daniels fund operates the Daniels Fund Scholarship Program and the Daniels Fund Grants Program in Colorado, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming. The fund was established in 1997 by Bill Daniels, a pioneer in cable television known for his kindness and generosity to those is need. Bill Daniels liked youth programs that build character, teach right from wrong, have structure and discipline, and instill personal responsibility and accountability. He wanted kids to be patriotic and good citizens. The Daniels Fund honors his direction by supporting programs that provide youth with the opportunity to develop character, achieve academic success, and build skills that will enable them to become successful adults. Platte P.O.W.E.R., a collaboration of the Community Youth Foundation, HR Camp, Own-It and Platte County School Districts #1 and #2, is just such a program. It is designed to allow young people in our schools the opportunity to develop good leadership and teambuilding skills, with the ultimate goal of helping them to become better students, better citizens, and better employees for the future.
In the past, this program has included leadership and mentor training for Wheatland High School juniors and seniors and a day-long ropes course experience for all Wheatland Middle School students at HR Camp. Guernsey schools have also participated in a similar camp experience. This year, with the help of the Daniels Fund grant and Mustard Seed donations from Our Saviour’s Hartville and All Saints’ Wheatland, Chugwater and Glendo schools will be joining this program along with 5th graders from West Elementary in Wheatland. However, Platte P.O.W.E.R. is more than just a one day event for students. Following their experience at camp, Pat Walsh and his staff help Wheatland’s Middle School in providing follow-up activities at the school approximately once a quarter. Platte P.O.W.E.R. will give Chugwater, Glendo and Guernsey schools the opportunity to participate in local-follow-up activities as well. Wheatland High School student mentors continue working throughout the school year in conjunction with PLC teams (Professional Learning Committees.) PLC teams and mentor teams meet on a regular basis to closely monitor individual students and provide support as needed to ensure academic and social success. This has become a vital part of school improvement at Wheatland High School. High School student mentors are also given the opportunity to volunteer their time to help the middle school students in their camp and follow-up activities.
Platte County School District #1 has participated in this program for four years and has seen a significant decrease in bullying and hazing at the middle school, an increase in freshman, sophomore and junior academic success at the high school and anticipates a decrease in the drop-out rate. Platte County School District #1 is very pleased with this project and wants to continue to make it an ongoing yearly program. Other school districts are coming on board with programs at HR Camp scheduled for Converse and Niobrara counties this fall as well.
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