Bob Welker addresses audience members at the recent YAR reception.

Springfield, Ohio — Wittenberg University is hosting the annual Youth as Resources (YAR) reception, which celebrates the accomplishments of Springfield youth and the service projects that they have completed with the help of the surrounding community, on Tuesday, April 22, in Ness Auditorium, Hollenbeck Hall. This year's reception marks a turning point for the Youth as Resources of Clark County program as it merges with the Springfield Foundation.

Student coordinators of the event, Maribeth Wright, class of 2009 from Upper Arlington, Ohio, and Valerie Elliot, class of 2009 from Grandview Heights, Ohio, stressed the importance of programs like YAR to the community.

"Youth as Resources supports the empowerment of youth by offering opportunities for young people to plan, implement and reflect upon service projects that make a difference in the community," Elliot said. "Every year, we have a celebration in the spring to bring members of the community and youth, who have received grants from us, together to celebrate their involvement in the community and recognize the projects they have done."

All agreed that the merging of YAR and the Springfield Foundation is a huge step for the program.

"This year the celebration is even more special," Elliot said. "Not only are we celebrating the accomplishments of the youth who planned service projects, we are joining forces with the Springfield Foundation to keep providing grants to youth who are doing service projects to better our community."

YAR is also introducing a new program called Community Conversations. These conversations will be between youth and adults talking as equals about what it means to be a good person and to give back to the community.

"These conversations are important, because they will help us all focus on what it means to be actively involved in making Springfield and Clark County a better place to live," Elliot said. "Our goal for these conversations is to bring a combination of 30 youth and adults together at the same tables to discuss important, difficult questions dealing with community service."

The first Community Conversation is scheduled for Tuesday, April 29. The topic is young peoples' heroes and role models. In the fall, conversation topics potentially include how to be kind, how to measure the impact of community service and talents that young people have to offer.

Written By: Rachel Morgan '08
Photo By: Robert Gantt

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