As the 2025-2026 school year begins, many local students face more than the challenge of new classes and schedules, they face the growing pressure to belong. For today’s teens, the search for acceptance is stronger than ever, and while social media provides endless ways to connect, it also opens doors to darker, less healthy pathways.

Students have expressed a shared concern: there’s “nothing to do” in our communities. This sentiment, often coupled with limited opportunities for creative self-expression, leaves some youth feeling disconnected and unseen. While schools offer clubs, sports, and other activities, these groups often have skill requirements or expectations that unintentionally leave some students on the sidelines.

To help bridge this gap, the Golden Belt Community Foundation is launching an exciting new initiative: a Youth Philanthropy Council (YPC) within local high schools. Unlike traditional clubs, the YPC will be open to all students, regardless of skill level, with the goal of building community while making a meaningful difference.

Through the council, students will learn how a community foundation works, discover opportunities to network, and actively participate in the grant-making process. By working together to assess local needs and award funds, students will not only strengthen their leadership skills but also experience the powerful bond that comes from giving back.

Organizers believe this sense of shared purpose will have long-term benefits encouraging young people not only to lead now and return to a community where their voice mattered.

As plans for the Youth Philanthropy Council move forward within area schools, community support will be critical. The Golden Belt Community Foundation invites all schools, residents, businesses, and organizations to get involved in helping this vision succeed.

After all, “it takes a village to thrive.”

Jason Murray is the executive director of the Golden Belt Community Foundation.