MCCF News

Marshall County High School Students Take Matters Into Their Own Hands: Announcing the Inception of Marshall County's First-Ever Youth Philanthropy Organization

8/25/08 - Plymouth ---They may not have graduated high school yet, but 14 Marshall County students are not wasting any time becoming community leaders. On August 17, 2008, at the Gazebo (located behind the Vandalia Depot ) situated on the banks of Lake Maxinkuckee in Culver, Indiana, a mold was broken and Bettering Every Aspect of Marshall County (BEAM) was officially introduced to the community. BEAM is a youth philanthropy organization created under the umbrella of the Marshall County Community Foundation through leftover funds from the Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship Program. Youth members will have the resources to facilitate community-based service projects and distribute youth-benefiting grant monies.

For the past five months, members of BEAM have been diligently creating their bylaws, naming the new organization, electing officers and making decisions that the future of BEAM will be dependent upon. This process has set the standard for how this organization will function: by youth and for youth. BEAM also has an endowment of approximately $75,000 from which they will be able to distribute grant monies to youth organizations that perpetuate their mission of inspiring the desire of philanthropy in Marshall County's youth. These details and more will be discussed further by BEAM officers during the press conference on August 17.

Under the advisement of Bremen High School Principal, Bruce Jennings, youth members of BEAM will now begin organizing and participating in community service projects throughout Marshall County. They are actively searching for community needs to address and opportunities to make their voices heard on behalf of all Marshall County youth and prove that today's youth are ready, willing and capable of making a difference today, not tomorrow.

For more information regarding BEAM, please email Bruce Jennings at bjennings@bps.k12.in.us or if you would like to contribute to BEAM's endowment, please contact the Marshall County Community Foundation at (574) 935-5159 or info@marshallcountycf.org.