It was a feel good day at Langley Middle School. And why not, since a bunch of students were giving away money.
At a Youth in Philanthrophy awards ceremony Monday, eight Langley Middle School students gave away $10,000 to local charities and organizations. The school’s Youth In Philanthropy (YI)P) class, taught by Susie Richards, has been working on a small-scale grant program since the start of the school year. Six groups, including the South Whidbey Historical Society and the South Whidbey Youth Center, received grants from the group, with the largest, $4,000, going to the youth center.
The program got its start last September when Bill Carlstrom, a trustee with Seattle’s Glaser Foundation offered to give the class a $10,000 grant if the students could raise $500 on their own. The grant came with the understanding that the students would give the money away to community causes. The class took the challenge and looked for a sure money maker.
“We decided that a dance would make plenty of money,” said YIP student Derel Gabelein.
They got help with the startup costs from the Island Country Health Department, which gave the class $400 in exchange for running an anti-tobacco booth at the South Whidbey Children’s day last year. In the end, the students wound up with $500 for their effort.
This met the fund-raising match Glaser required. The foundation then offered another $2,500 to fund school projects if the group raised $500 at the dance. They made $850.
With the $350 left over from the dance, the group bought gloves and personal hygiene products to give to homeless teens in Everett.
Class members are Marco Flores, Jeff Riggs, Derel Gabelein, Kassie Weber, Stephanie Sanford, Topher Kline, Katie Murphy and John Moore said that over the months of working with Carlstrom on the grant project, they started calling him “Grandpa Bill.”
Carlstrom said he likes the kids and the work they’ve done.
“Glaser risked, and we bothered to invest in kids,” he said. “If the stock market could do as well as this group, we would all be OK.”
The Glaser Foundation was created by RealNetworks founder, Rob Glaser. This is the first year of the YIP program, which funded a similar philanthropy program in the Edmonds School District.
Student John Moore said the most difficult part of the class was deciding who would get grants from the YIP class. “
“We had so many to look at, but had specific criteria that they had to benefit children, families and community,” he said.
Teacher “Richards said it was “incredible” to watch the students work through their task.
“The students gained an incredible sense of achievement and connection to their community,” she said. “They see firsthand that through hard work and follow through, they can truly make a difference.”
