Empowering Youth Voices at Princeton Innovation Center
January 31, 2024 | Written by Branden Waggoner
L-R: Mary Hill, Deanna Pinkney, Cyndi Chandler, and Karen, an 11th grade student at Princeton Innovation Center. Karen and Ms. Pinkney presented a $1,500 Magnified Giving grant to Active Woodlawn Community Inc., represented by Ms. Hill and Ms. Chandler, during a virtual Giving Ceremony hosted by Magnified Giving.
At Princeton Innovation Center, a meaningful moment unfolded during the fall semester Grant Giving Ceremony for Princeton students participating in the Magnified Giving Youth Philanthropy Program. An eleventh-grade student, Karen, joined her teacher, Ms. Deanna Pinkney, to present a $1,500 grant to Active Woodlawn Community Inc. Karen was empowered to use her voice and share about the importance of the mission of this nonprofit selected by herself and her classmates.
Active Woodlawn Community Inc. is a nonprofit whose mission is to provide the community with services that cannot be provided through taxpayer dollars. This service organization assists in providing solutions to problems in the village of Woodlawn, Ohio. Although it is not a well-known organization outside of Woodlawn, this charity stood out to Karen for their exceptional commitment to the community. She liked how they make education a priority and focus on building strong foundations for the community members.
Karen conveyed her appreciation for the organization, expressing how rare it is to find a group dedicated to the well-being of their community. Her words carried weight and emotion, showing the genuine impact nonprofits can have on the lives of individuals.
Mary Hill and Cyndi Chandler give a presentation about the mission of Active Woodlawn Community Inc. to students at Princeton Innovation Center.
What made this moment even more special was the participation of the students at Princeton Innovation Center. As part of Princeton City School District, where 70% of students are on the free lunch program, this school empowers students like Karen to participate actively in financial philanthropy, something students may have never been able to experience before attending the school. The ability to allocate real dollar funds to nonprofits resonating with their values and experiences was very impactful.
Through the Magnified Giving process, Princeton youth learned about the foundations of philanthropy and then explored social causes and local nonprofits. Ms. Pinkney explains, “Through the resources provided by Magnified Giving, students were able to explore and research social causes and the registered nonprofits in the area. They were given opportunities to explore other nonprofits, but after they saw the AWC presentation, the majority voted to go with them.” Karen and her classmates learned more about community groups that support students and the broader youth community, and the experience inspires students to strive for life success so that they can return the good to their community. Karen's selection of Active Woodlawn Community Inc. was meaningful to her, and her presentation during the Giving Ceremony demonstrated how touched she was by the needs AWC is meeting in her community.
“To be able to see our students, who don’t always value themselves or what they can contribute, come to the realization that they are important, and they can make a difference, is the greatest gift.”
At the core of the Magnified Giving program is the belief that youth have the power to effect real change. By allowing students to allocate funds, the program becomes a catalyst for genuine impact. The program fosters a sense of responsibility, agency, and connection within the students as they witness the ripple effect of their contributions to the communities they hold dear. The impact is magnified when local nonprofits benefit from grant funding and youth engagement. Cyndi Chandler, one of the representatives of Active Woodlawn Community Inc. who was present to hear Karen’s heartfelt words and receive the grant, said of the experience, “Hopefully we can teach the youth that giving, supplying and supporting people makes you feel good. In today’s world, I see a lot of youth living/surviving for themselves. I hope to be a role model for our youth and to teach them that sharing is caring.”
Karen's charity selection exemplified the program's commitment to instilling a sense of purpose and community engagement in students, creating a lasting legacy of positive change. Regarding the experience, Ms. Pinkney says, “To be able to see our students, who don’t always value themselves or what they can contribute, come to the realization that they are important, and they can make a difference, is the greatest gift.” Magnified Giving applauds Ms. Pinkney and Princeton Innovation Center for their dedication to providing this meaningful experience for their students, and we thank our nonprofit partners like Active Woodlawn Community Inc. for partnering with Magnified Giving to educate youth on their efforts to improve their community.