In this lesson, youth prepare a persuasive speech in which they demonstrate that one person (or small group) can make a difference in making the world a better place or taking action for the common good.

A youth from a Community Foundation Youth Advisory Committee speaks to the group about the program, their duties, and the process of applying for a grant to do service work.

The book, The Gardener, by Sarah Stewart gently illustrates how sharing growing things can be a gift to others and the community. 

Participants analyze the essential qualities of the Core Democratic Values and how these values are evident in relationships and behavior in a classroom/group and in the community/nation.

Participants learn about different types of foundations and how they work toward improving the common good.

Participants use langauge and art to illustrate the vocabulary of philanthropy and the importance of the tradition of philanthropy to the community.

Develop an understanding that you can find poetry everywhere: from lyrics to songs, commercials and rap. Investigate the philanthropic themes are often found in poetry.

Rosa Parks’s acts of philanthropy brought a community of people together for the common good and resulted in major social change in her community and in the nation. Young people identify the relationship between individual rights, justice, equality, and community responsibility.

After reading two stories, learners compare and contrast the attitudes, actions, and impact of the main characters. They reflect on some essential questions: What does it mean to be a philanthropist? What does it mean to be an environmentalist? What does it mean to be a good steward...

Participants identify the impact of humans on lakes and rivers. They explore ways to take responsibility to protect the waterways.