Empowering the Future
How ORU Grant Supports The Center for Whitley County Youth
The Center for Whitley County Youth, Inc. (The Center) recently received an Operation Round Up (ORU) grant from Kosciusko REMC. The Center has been a cornerstone of youth development since its inception, offering a sanctuary for young minds to grow, learn, and lead. The ORU grant is more than just a financial boost; it represents a community's commitment to nurturing its youth, providing them with the tools and support necessary to navigate the challenges of today and the opportunities of tomorrow. Join us as we explore the history of The Center, its transformative programs, and first-hand accounts of the young individuals whose lives have been touched by this vital organization.
KREMC: Please share a bit about the history of The Center with our co-op members.
Founded in 2005, The Center’s mission is “To promote youth development through service, outreach, and collaboration.”
Following their move to a new facility in the spring of 2004, Community of Hope Church in Columbia City, Ind., embarked on a new chapter. Outgrowing their previous location at 201 West Market Street, they envisioned a new purpose for their old building: a center dedicated to nurturing the well-being of young people in their community. This vision led to the establishment of The Center for Whitley County Youth, in partnership with the Community Foundation of Whitley County.
In December 2006, Community of Hope Church and The Center formally separated, allowing The Center to flourish as a community-driven initiative. Today, it stands as a vital community hub, promoting youth development through service, outreach, and collaboration with like-minded organizations. By offering a range of after-school, weekend, and summer programs, and providing space for other youth organizations, The Center has become a cornerstone in empowering the next generation of leaders, families, citizens, and the workforce.
KREMC: How does the organization benefit the community?
The Center serves youth from first through 12th grade as well as young adults and places a great emphasis on engaging the demographics of low-income and at-risk youth in our programs.
The Center benefits the community by providing essential after-school, weekend, and summer programs that support youth development and academic success. Through partnerships with other organizations and by offering inclusive spaces for activities, we empower young people and promote a strong sense of community engagement.
KREMC: What are some of The Center’s recent accomplishments or successes?
Data specific to our Whitko programming site include:
● ASC-Whitko has provided consistent mentorship for middle school students over the past 6 years. After School Central (Whitko) has had 70+ middle school students enrolled in programming each year over the last 6 years (2018-2023).
● As of March of 2024, ASC-Whitko's average daily attendance is up 33% over the past year and up 54% since the 20/21 school year.
● 43% of Whitko programming students during the 23/24 school year have come from Kosciusko County.
● During the 22/23 school year, our Director of Middle School Programs, Shawna, spent more than 267 hours mentoring Whitko students outside of scheduled programming.
● During the 22/23 school year, The Center’s after school program reached 30% of the total middle school students at Whitko Community Schools.
● During the 23/24 school year, After School Central/ SERVE - Whitko led students on different college and career field trips to Huntington University, Whitley Manufacturing, Eel River Bison Ranch, the Columbia City YMCA, The Well Church, Vera Bradley, Grace College, and The Wagon Wheel Theatre.
Data from our Spring of 2024, Center in-house survey of 107 surveyed students shows:
● 100% of students agree they are valued as a young person at The Center.
● 100% of students agree that adults at The Center help them learn from mistakes & setbacks.
● 99% of students agree they are proud to be a part of Center program(s).
● 99% of students agree they can trust and count on adults at The Center.
● 99% of students agree that adults at The Center help them to see future possibilities.
● 97% of students agree they have made new friends by coming to The Center.
● 96% of students agree that their involvement at The Center has improved their mental health.
KREMC: How did The Center make use of the ORU grant funds?
The grant funds are being used to expand the number of students in Whitley and Kosciusko county impacted by The Center’s Whitko After School Central and After School SERVE programs. Specifically, funds are designated towards providing youth with a healthy snack after school, access to our free-to-youth cafe, and educational S.T.E.A.M. experiences for students and other activity supplies. Through these initiatives, our team aims to promote youth development by combating food insecurity and connecting students to educational opportunities after school.
KREMC: What impact have the ORU grant funds had on your organization and those you serve?
The ORU grant funds have had a significant impact on our programs and the students whom we serve. During the 23-24 school year, our Whitko programming site provided 132 days of free-to-youth, educational, afterschool programming to 88 unique students, 43% of whom reside in Kosciusko county. As of March of 2024, our After School Central-Whitko location’s daily attendance is up 33% over the previous year and up 54% since the 2020-2021 school year, demonstrating youth’s desire to regularly participate in our programs.
ORU grant funds have helped provide a healthy snack to youth after school and helped stock items in our free-to-youth cafe. Each day that students attend our programs, they are given a free, healthy snack, thus giving their bodies the nourishment they need to be fully present during educational programming. Moreover, each day that students attend our programs, they are able to earn “Centerbucks,” a Center-branded form of play money, for good behavior and participation and spend this play money in our youth-run cafe. The impact of this cafe initiative is exponential: not only does this initiative work to combat food insecurity in our community, but this initiative teaches middle school youth financial responsibility and gives high school youth who run our cafe the opportunity to practice real-world career and leadership skills.
KREMC: Can you share a specific success story or example of how the grant funds have made a difference?
ORU grant funds have had a profound impact on the high school SERVE students who lead our afterschool cafe at The Center. This initiative is designed to combat food insecurity, provide real-world career training, and offer youth the opportunity to practice leadership skills. One outstanding example of how these grant funds have made a difference is seen through the journey of Dominic R., a SERVE student at our Whitko programming location.
Dominic began his involvement with The Center as a seventh-grade student in our After School Central program. From the start, he displayed a keen interest in the activities and quickly became a dedicated participant. When Dominic transitioned into high school, he joined our SERVE program, which empowers older students to take on leadership roles within The Center’s various initiatives, including the afterschool cafe.
The cafe operates on a unique model where middle school students earn “Centerbucks” (a Center-branded form of ‘play money’) for participating in educational activities and adhering to The Center's core values: respect, integrity, community, resilience, honesty, and self-control. These Centerbucks can then be used to purchase healthy snacks and fun treats at the cafe, which is managed by the high school SERVE students.
Dominic’s role in the cafe allowed him to develop and hone his leadership and managerial skills. He took on significant responsibilities, such as creating detailed shopping lists for program directors, meticulously monitoring inventory levels, and teaching younger students how to manage the cafe and practice customer service effectively. Dominic’s natural leadership abilities flourished in this environment, providing him with invaluable experience that extends beyond the classroom.
Reflecting on his experience, Dominic shared, "Running the cafe has impacted my leadership skills by [allowing] me to lead different kinds of people in many different situations.”
Dominic credits his experience running the cafe with teaching him how to adapt and manage effectively. His words highlight the essential skills and confidence he gained through this program, which will undoubtedly benefit him in future endeavors.
The success of the cafe initiative, partially funded by the Operation Round Up grant, not only addresses food insecurity but also fosters financial literacy and responsibility among our youth. Additionally, it cultivates a sense of community and belonging, as students work together towards common goals.
The Center team is deeply grateful for the generous support from our partners, which makes this transformative initiative possible. Their contributions enable us to create meaningful experiences for students like Dominic, helping them grow into capable and confident leaders.
To provide a broader perspective on the impact of our programs, we invite you to watch our 2024 Benefit Cook-Off live student interview featuring Whitko SERVE students Wyatt and Maggie. In this video, Wyatt and Maggie graciously share their experiences in our After School Central and SERVE programs. Their heartfelt reflections illustrate the positive changes The Center brings to local youth, as told by these young leaders themselves. The interview can be accessed on The Center’s YouTube page.
Through stories like Dominic's and the testimonies of other students, we see the real and lasting difference that the ORU grant funds make. The Center is committed to continuing this vital work and fostering an environment where every student can thrive.
Here are some anecdotal statements from Center After School Central and SERVE program participants and their guardians:
● "The best part about The Center is the community that is there. If I have a question, the adult leaders will happily put down whatever they are working on to talk with me and help me find answers." -Student
● "I am so thankful for this organization. It is very difficult to find a positive outlet for my homeschooler to interact with other kids his age in a safe and fun manner. He absolutely loves attending. We value The Center so much. " -Parent
● "I strongly feel that the After School Central program has been the best part of my kids educational experience when they look back many years from now." -Parent
● "The Center brought me out of my shell when I first joined. I was terrified to actually put myself out there, but after being a part of this program I feel very content and at peace with how it's impacted my life for the better. I love the Center because it pushes you out of your shell." -Student
● "The Center has impacted me in such a wonderful way. It’s such a huge part of my life. I’ve learned so many things from my time there. I love being able to help others and be a good example for middle schoolers to follow. I also love being a person they can trust because I know middle school can be so, so difficult. I love being able to make differences I can see and making others feel welcomed and appreciated. I love that The Center offers a supporting, comforting, safe space for middle and high schoolers and I absolutely LOVE being a part of that." -Student
KREMC: What are The Center’s future goals or projects?
During the 2024-2025 school year, The Center plans to implement a new program called “Thrive 100.” This initiative is a self-led, app-based program where local youth will demonstrate through pictures, videos, and self-reflections their accomplishment of one hundred skills needed for community, college, and career readiness. We also plan to renovate a storage area at our Whitko programming site to increase the usable square footage of this building in order to serve more Kosciusko youth.
KREMC: How can the community continue to support your organization?
The community can support our organization by visiting HelpWhitleyYouth.com. At this website, engaged community members can learn more about our organization, subscribe to our quarterly newsletters, inquire about volunteer opportunities, or partner with us through a tax-deductible donation.
KREMC: Is there anything else you would like to share about The Center or the impact of the ORU grant?
We would simply like to say, “thank you,” and express our gratitude to the Kosciusko County Community Foundation, Kosciusko REMC, and the ORU advisory committee for their commitment to improving the lives the Kosciusko County residents and their dedication to promoting philanthropy in our community. Lastly, we would like to say, “thank you,” to the KREMC members who generously volunteered for the ORU program and round up their electric bill to the next dollar in pursuit of creating an impact in their community. The grant that The Center received this year is possible thanks to these members. Our Center team is grateful to serve the Kosciusko community and do our part to promote youth development.