Students from five Knox County high schools and their parents gathered with Community Foundation of Mount Vernon & Knox County officers and school administrators to launch the foundation’s first-ever youth advisory council. Named the Youth Philanthropy Initiative, the group will focus on community philanthropy from a youth perspective, and will award its first grants next fall, after conducting its own needs assessment process and developing grant-making criteria. Pictured are, front row, from left, Bruce Hawkins, foundation chair; YPI Advisor Ellen Blanchard, Kenyon College junior; Monica Honabarger, Danville High School freshman; Paige Arthur, DHS junior; Amanda Tier, Mount Vernon High School freshman; Rachel Shaffer, Fredericktown High School sophomore; Kayla Stephenson, East Knox High School junior; Sally Nelson, foundation treasurer. Back row, from left, are Daniel Schuster, Centerburg High School sophomore; Matthew Pozderac, CHS junior; Brendan Urban, DHS sophomore; Zachary Sawicki, EKHS junior; Daniel Tharp, MVHS sophomore; Jonathan Levi Zolman, MVHS junior; and Matthew Omahan, MVHS junior.

