Volunteer Services

In this blog post, Jill Gordon highlights her passion to grow lifelong philanthropists from an early age. Jill is the Program Director for Youth Philanthropy Initiative of Indiana.

Are you, or is someone you know in grades 6-11, making an extraordinary difference in the lives of other? Nominate them for the Power of Children Awards at childrensmuseum.org/poca. The deadline for submissions is April 30. 

So what is youth philanthropy? Youth Philanthropy is the intentional and ongoing giving of time, talent, and treasure for the common good.  I’ve had the pleasure of meeting several of the past Power of Children Award winners and have been truly inspired by their passion to share their time, talent, and treasure for a wide variety of community needs.  

Think about the young people taking action and making a difference in your community.  Now’s the time to nominate them for the Power of Children Award before the April 30^th deadline!  I encourage you to celebrate the youth philanthropists in your community and recognize the time, talent, and treasure they give back to your community.

These young people and so many other young philanthropists from around the country are serving their communities by both recognizing community needs and then finding solutions—and even in some cases creating non-profit organizations to solve those needs.  They are giving of their time, talent, and treasure by dedicating many hours of volunteer service and raising funds for their cause.  These youth are leaders, strong role models that lead by example so their peers will also take action and care.  Lastly, Power of Children Awards winners and youth philanthropist have the ability to engage others to make a difference, regardless of an individual’s age. 

As Program Director of the Youth Philanthropy Initiative of Indiana (“YPII”), a statewide initiative that promotes, supports, and sustains youth philanthropy in local communities, I encourage and help youth-serving organizations to integrate philanthropic concepts into their existing programs/organizations.  YPII’s mission is “to grow lifelong philanthropist who give of their time, talent, and treasure for the common good.” 

Let's help young philanthropists keep serving, giving, leading, and engaging in their community. Nominate a youth for the Power of Children Awards today!

Photo Nathaniel Edwards Photography

In this blog post, 2007 Power of Children Awards winner Brittany Oliver shares her story. The deadline for the 2013 Power of Children Awards is April 30, 2013. There's still time to nominate an extraordinary youth!

“We want to read a looooong one!” commanded two little boys last Tuesday as I pulled out my stack of children’s books. Though I probably shouldn't encourage such brazen demands, I couldn't help but smile at their enthusiasm for reading and the thought that I helped build that valuable interest. 

While in high school, the good grades, club leadership, and athletics that satisfied my parents never felt like enough to me. While volunteering for projects like tutoring at elementary schools, I discovered that helping others brought me fulfillment that no tennis match win or aced test could. I decided I wanted to develop my own project in order to serve my community.  An idea to provide reading opportunities to children who lack those important interactions at home grew into the project I named Reading Teams in which volunteers teamed up to read to children at daycares. The wonderful surprise of the Power of Children Award grant helped me expand my project by purchasing sets of books as incentives for parents to read with their children at home. 

Though my original Reading Teams program waned when I left Lafayette for college, the spirit of giving to others is still strong within my community and especially within my own heart over six years later. I continue to volunteer and seek out leadership positions revolving around service and feel honored when I remember that my picture hangs alongside so many incredible service leaders at the Children’s Museum. The Power of Children Awards serve as a reminder that simple ideas and individual efforts can grow to produce impact beyond anything we could have imagined.

To learn more about Brittany’s work, watch her video...

In this blog post, 2012 The Power of Children Awards recipient, Tim Balz, highlights his project and passion for technology. Tim is the President and Founder of Freedom Chairs. If you, or someone you know in grades 6-11, are making an extraordinary difference in the lives of other, nominate them for the Power of Children Awards at childrensmuseum.org/poca.

The way to make a difference in the world is to act now. The Power of Children Awards, presented by The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis, has enabled me to act now. Before I received this award, I was struggling to keep up with the growing demand for donations that Freedom Chairs was providing. The only money that I had access to was in my personal savings, which was dwindling fast.

Freedom Chairs originally started when I saw a fellow student doing his recycling job at Plainfield High School using a manual wheelchair, and I was curious as to why the student wasn’t able to use an electric wheelchair. I found out that the student’s insurance wouldn’t cover the cost of one and I knew I wanted to do something about it. I have been helping others in similar situations ever since.

Fixing a wheelchair typically takes about $150. Not only did the Power of Children Award grant provide the resources for more than thirteen wheelchairs, but it also increased awareness for Freedom Chairs. As a result of this awareness, there has been an outpouring of support from the community. Freedom Chairs has continued to expand the reach of its service.

I will be attending Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology this fall with a major in Mechanical Engineering. Because of the skills that Freedom Chairs has provided me, I will be working a full time, paid internship through Rose-Hulman this summer for a company called Freedom One Mobility. I plan to continue with my work with Freedom Chairs through college.

If you want to make a change, the best time is to start now.

For more information on Tim’s project, watch his video...

2011 Winner Update:

Last year we highlighted 2011 Power of Children Awards winner Krystal Shirrell in our blog. We have just received some wonderful news about her winning project and continued work. Krystal was recently honored at a ceremony in Durham, NC as the Veterans Administration National Outstanding Youth Volunteer and was awarded the $20,000 Parke Scholarship. Watch the Parke Scholarship video.

Superheroes are everywhere! Sure they may not wear capes and fly, or see through walls, or have the ability to leap tall buildings, but wherever you look there are people doing super things…powerful things, in fact. Superheroes can be found creating hats and scarves for cancer patients, raising money to feed the homeless, creating educational facilities for orphanages around the world, building libraries, or helping those with accessibility issues lead a normal life. These are all examples of superpowers that change the lives of others. What is this power, you ask? Philanthropy! And did you know that super-youth of all ages are transforming lives? You bet! 

The above super-examples are all from youths in grades 6-11 who have won a Power of Children Award. These awards are for passionate students making a difference by creating projects to help solve a problem or need in their communities. This past November, we recognized five super, inspiring youth who were making an impact in their communities and throughout the world. We were honored and excited to announce two out-of-state winners. This was the first time we had opened the awards to superhero-youths at a national level and the applications we received were… well, extraordinary!

This year we streamlined the information and applications on our website to make it super-easy to apply. We've also created a number of promotional videos to highlight the awards and winners, which you can view throughout the month.

But the most important thing is that…

Nominations are now open for the 2013 Power of Children Awards!

Each award recipient will receive the following:

• A $2,000 grant to continue his or her extraordinary work.
• A four-year post-secondary scholarship to a participating institution of higher learning.
• Recognition in the museum’s The Power of Children exhibit for at least one year.
• Honor and recognition during a special awards event on Nov. 2, 2012, at The Children's Museum.
• Special individual interview to be aired at the ceremony and in the exhibit.

For more information, guidelines, and entry forms go to: www.childrensmuseum.org/poca

The application deadline is midnight, April 30, 2013. Nominate a superhero youth today!

THE POWER OF CHILDREN and THE POWER OF CHILDREN: MAKING A DIFFERENCE are registered trademarks of The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis, Inc.

You can still nominate a youth in grades 6-11 for The Power of Children Awards through midnight, May 18, 2012.

Youth philanthropy is vital in our world today. We try to instill humility and compassion in our children to help make them wise and caring adults. We strive to teach understanding and independent thinking to prepare them for the real world. Youth philanthropy teaches all of these elements and allows them to grow up appreciating the differences they can make.

Nominator Sharon Stark shares her story about 2010 winner Ben Gormley.

As Director of HealthNet’s Homeless Initiative Program, a comprehensive community program serving the homeless of Indianapolis since 1988, I was honored to nominate Ben Gormley for the Power of Children Awards in 2010 for his project “Operation Backpack.”

When I nominated Ben, he had been collecting, cleaning and repairing used backpacks, filling them with hygiene items, socks, gloves and hats and delivering them to our Street Outreach Team since October of 2008, when he was just 12 years old. In order to accomplish this, Ben met with middle school principals for permission to set up collection sites, convinced students and teachers to donate used backpacks, and enlisted friends to help him with the project. He put notices in school newsletters and Church bulletins and established a collection center at the Kwik Kleen Coin-Op Laundry where he cleaned the backpacks.

Ben is now a sophomore in high school and still collecting and delivering backpacks to the Homeless Initiative Program – over 500 and counting. Ben’s belief in the importance of his project is demonstrated by his continued commitment to purpose and his ability to motivate others to help in the cause. Ben was inspired by a visit to Wheeler Men’s Mission to help those men who seemed so alone and in need of care. There are other children like Ben who see a need and find a way to fill it; to make a difference in the lives of others. That’s why I nominated Ben, and why I would encourage others to recognize those exceptional children in your community with a nomination to this year’s Power of Children Awards.

For more informaton on Ben Gormley's project, watch his video.

For more information on the awards, please go to our webpage: http://www.childrensmuseum.org/poca

The deadline for the 2012 Power of Children Awards has been extended to May 18, 2012. There's still time to nominate an extraordinary youth!

2005 Power of Children Awards winner Daniel Kent shares his story.

"Youth are tomorrow's leaders" - or so the adage goes.  The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis sees things differently - "youth are TODAY’S leaders." In 2005, the Power of Children Awards were created to identify youth making a difference in their communities.

Net Literacy (http://www.netliteracy.org) is a digital inclusion nonprofit founded by middle school students that originally began by teaching computer and Internet skills to senior citizens in 2003 as Senior Connects.  Students comprise 50% of the board of directors, write all of the grants, and conduct all of the volunteering.  Today, Net Literacy has an expanded mission and has engaged and empowered a team of 3500 social entrepreneurs that have increased computer access to over 170,000 individuals, donated more than 20,000 computers, and provide $1.4 million in annual services.  Internet associations representing 270,000 Internet companies on six continents have endorsed our Digital Literacy best practices initiative (http://www.digitalliteracy.org).

As founder of Senior Connects , and a current member of the Net Literacy team, I was honored to be selected as one of the Power of Children Award Honorees during this program's inauguration. The Power of Children Award was very important to me because it represented the trust and confidence that community institutions like The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis have in young social entrepreneurs.  This trust and confidence in me and the team of Net Literacy volunteers, when our nonprofit was very young, reinforced our collective belief that we could change the world.  The Power of Children Awards is a program designed to show that youths are not just tomorrow’s leaders; we’re also today’s leaders.

It's seven years later and the Children's Museum of Indianapolis is still looking for youths that are today's leaders.  Are you, or is someone you know in grades 6-11, making an extraordinary difference in the lives of others? Nominate them for the Power of Children awards.  Visit http://www.childrensmuseum.org/poca  for more details.

To learn more about Daniel’s work, watch his video. http://www.childrensmuseum.org/poca-2005

Photo: Daniel Kent, 2005 winner.

The Power of Children Awards nominator, Troy Cockrum, highlights his nomination of 2010 POCA winner Claire Helmen.

If you, or someone you know in grades 6-11, is making an extraordinary difference in the lives of other, nominate them for the Power of Children Awards at childrensmuseum.org/poca.

All teachers have special students.  Each year, a group of wonderful children come through our classes. But, over the course of a career, we may only have a handful of truly exceptional students. From 2008-2010, I had the honor of teaching Claire Helmen.  Claire was your average middle schooler, trying to fit in, not wanting to draw attention, but at the same time wanting so desperately to stand out.  Claire had a secret. At age 12, she started an organization called Claire’s Comfort for Kids. 

Claire had heard her mother telling stories about children that were caught in the middle of traumatic situations and decided to make and distribute blankets for sheriff’s departments across the state of Indiana.  Emergency responders now carry these blankets with them to give to distressed children.

I visited the Power of Children exhibit in 2010, and was intrigued by the award display.  I immediately thought of Claire.  I was excited to hear that Claire was one of the award winners.  Even better, the accolades associated with this award are something Claire would never seek out herself.  Watching Claire beam as she received her reward, spoke at the award ceremony, and was interviewed by news outlets was a reward for me.  Seeing her honored, seeing her grow as a person and also build her organization because of the confidence the Power of Children Awards instilled in her made me proud to know her and to have nominated her.  If you have that special student in your life, don’t hesitate to nominate them.  The joy it brings to you is as great as the joy it brings to them. 

For more information about Claire’s project, go to her video.

Photo: Claire Helmen, 2010 POCA winner.

2011 Children's Museum of Indianapolis Power of Children Awards recipient, Krystal Shirrell, highlights her project and passion for philanthropy. If you, or someone you know in grades 6-11, are making an extraordinary difference in the lives of other, nominate them for the Power of Children Awards at childrensmuseum.org/poca.

It’s easy to make a difference.  Look around, you will see endless opportunities to help. Find something that interests you, develop a passion, and use that passion to do something outside yourself. Receiving personal awards, like a Power of Children Award, can provide one of the best platforms to further promote community service. The results of my activities have further instilled in me the importance of making a positive contribution to society.

Originally inspired by family events, I eventually assisted in making hats and blankets not just for cancer patients, but for veterans going through dialysis. While delivering blankets, I heard about the domiciliary for homeless veterans.  After one visit, I knew I had to do more and my blanket project quickly evolved into VETSupport.

I implemented a service drive, collecting over 5,000 supplies, have been visiting residents, and hosting monthly Bingo parties.  For Christmas 2011, I was fortunate to supplement collection efforts with the Power of Children Awards grant. I provided gifts to all the domiciliary residents including, a variety of clothing, blankets, personal care items, notebooks, and snacks.

Wanting to make a greater impact, for my high school senior project I organized Christmas tree decorating and collected items to make care packages.  I invited Marine Corporal Josh Bleill, Purple Heart recipient and spokesperson for the Indianapolis Colts, to participate in a Public Service Announcement. Over 10,000 items were collected and together with the Military Support Group of Brownsburg we provided over 100 decorated Christmas trees, 525 care packages for our troops, and supplies for veterans.

What are you doing to make a difference?

For more information about Krystal or her projects go to her video.

Photo: Krystal displays some of the Bingo prizes for the domiciliary residents.

Ever wonder, “What can I do to make a positive difference today? How can I help others?” The Power of Children Awards honor student philanthropists who have done just this, and figured out ways to help their communities and the world. The awards are part of The museum’s Power of Children exhibit, which highlights the lives of three extraordinary youth: Anne Frank, Ruby Bridges, and Ryan White. These three did not select the circumstances of their lives, yet they each made the choice to make a difference.

First created in 2005, the awards were established by the Deborah Joy Simon Charitable Trust with additional support from IUPUI, University of Indianapolis, Kroger, and WISHTV 8.

The impact has been far reaching with over 33 awards distributed in grades 6-11 since its inception. This year’s package includes:

• A $2,000 grant to continue his or her extraordinary work.
• A four-year post-secondary scholarship to a participating institution of higher learning.
• Recognition in the museum’s The Power of Children exhibit for at least one year.
• Honor and recognition during a special awards event on Nov. 2, 2012, at The Children's Museum.
• Special WISH-TV 8 individual interview aired the week prior to the awards.

How many of us actually create projects that are completely our own? Projects where we manage every aspect from brainstorming and creation to development and delivery? And the big question, how many of us are in grades 6-11 when we accomplish this?

So, what can you do to make a positive difference in the world today? More than you think actually, by nominating an extraordinary youth for this award and helping them make a difference.

Application deadline is May 7, 2012. If you would like more information, please go to our webpage: http://www.childrensmuseum.org/poca

Photo: Past winner Krystal Shirrell on her first visit to the domiciliary. After just one visit, she knew she wanted to do more!