I have been coordinating the Youth Advisory Board since its beginning 2 years ago, and it has been a fun, dynamic, challenging, and rewarding journey for me (and, I hope, for the YAB members!). I have supported and at times just sat back and observed as these groups of fabulous high school students have learned about community issues, planned projects, given out and applied for grants, and grown as individuals and as a team. Not only is serving on the board a great resume builder and professional experience for the members, but it is also a unique opportunity to meet and interact with other high school students from across the metro area.

I have personally learned so much from this group of youth who consistently rises to challenges and makes decisions and plans in ways that prove they are wise beyond their years. I am simply delighted to announce that we are now accepting applications for a third term of the YAB! If you or someone you know is a student between the ages of 14 and 18 and is interested in promoting and learning more about service, volunteerism, and the nonprofit world, this is definitely an opportunity you should look into! Don’t worry if you don’t have a lot (or any!) experience with volunteering or leadership – we look at this as an opportunity for you to build skills and experience as well!

If you’d like to apply or if you just want some more information, email me (Abby) at abby@handsontwincities.org or call me at 612-379-4900 ext. 11 anytime. I look forward to hearing from you!

Be the Change!