Thirty-five high school juniors from seventeen area schools will learn how, by being a volunteer or a philanthropist, individuals can help others and create a better community in which to live at The Dayton Foundation’s 11th Annual Junior Leadership Dayton program on Friday, February 18. The program, entitled “Making a Difference in Your Community,” will start at 8 a.m. at the K12 Gallery for Young People’s new Teen Education and Joint Adult Studio, or “TEJAS” Studio, located at 510 E. Third Street, Dayton, and conclude at 2 p.m. following off-site visits to local not-for-profit organizations.

Welcoming the students will be Jerri Stanard, executive director for K12 Gallery for Young People, and Barbra Stonerock, director of Community Relations for The Dayton Foundation, both of whom will give a brief presentation. From here, students will be transported to several local not-for-profit organizations, including the Humane Society of Greater Dayton and ISUS Trade and Tech Prep. Students will learn how these organizations are funded, and what their problems and concerns are, as well as their opportunities and rewards. Students also will understand the challenges that not-for-profits face, and why volunteers and philanthropists are so vital for their continued success, especially in these uncertain economic times. A lunchtime presentation by The Muse Machine will include an improvisational interaction with the students.

Junior Leadership Dayton is designed to reach out to youth in the community who are the next generation of leaders and prepare them for constructive and responsible participation in community activities. Throughout the nine-month program, topics focus on specific areas of leadership in the community and emphasize values, such as honesty, respect, caring and responsibility. This is the eleventh year for Junior Leadership Dayton, which is sponsored by The Dayton Foundation, Holiday Inn Dayton Mall, Wright-Patt Credit Union, Wright State University and the YMCA of Greater Dayton.

For 90 years The Dayton Foundation has been helping people help others in the Dayton community and beyond. The Dayton Foundation helps donors find the best and most tax-wise ways to achieve their charitable objectives, invests and manages donors’ charitable funds, and provides grants and leadership to grow philanthropy and help meet present and future community needs.