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GivingPoint
One-stop shop for teen volunteerism
By ClareS. Richie
As the school year starts
back, more learning will take
place outside of the classroom
thanks to GivingPoint. It’s the
first online social marketplace
designed for youth to teach
and inspire community
engagement.
“GivingPoint is built on
the belief that high school age
students are capable of making
a significant impact in their
communities. We give students
the tools and opportunities to
make a difference,” Executive
Director Debra Carson
explained.
The nonprofit utilizes
an online platform
(mygivingpoint.org) to match young peoples passions with vetted, age-appropriate volunteer
opportunities. Students who create a free account can take quizzes to identify their interests, learn
about the needs of their community, track verified hours, view and download their civic resume for
school requirements and college applications, post projects to help raise awareness, volunteers and
funds for causes, and more.
Derek Smith, former Chairman and CEO of ChoicePoint, started GivingPoint after the findings
of research he commissioned showed that even though teens want to get involved, they lacked the
education, training, resources and encouragement to connect with others who share their interests. In
July 2009, GivingPoint became a nonprofit and raised more than $200,000 from a diverse group of
corporations, individuals and foundations.
Its partners now include Myfifident Foundation, New Kent Capital, Federal Home Loan Bank
of Atlanta, Zeist Foundation, Marcus Foundation, Arthur M. Blank Foundation and Wells Fargo, to
name a few.
Today, an average of2,000 students per school year create accounts to track hours, create projects
SPECIAL
Lovett School students, from left, Chris Weaver, Caroline Carr Grant and
Claire Biggerstaff, with their project poster boards at the end of the Sparks
Student Awards Ceremony.
to bridge the gap between elementary and middle school students through service projects for CURE.
Sixth graders will lead efforts - like making craft and snack bags for patients undergoing cancer
treatment at Childrens Healthcare of Atlanta. Biggerstaff hopes to create a model that other schools
can easily replicate.
The institute ends with students sharing their projects at the SPARKS celebration event.
“It’s like Shark Tank,” Carson said, because students can still raise funds for their projects and a few
receive scholarships, ranging from $1,000 to $3,000.
Last spring, Max Rubenstein, now a Galloway School junior, was awarded a $3,000 scholarship for
Game Givers. Rubenstein launched his own nonprofit to bring video games and consoles to hospital-bound
children in the Atlanta area. As an institute alumnus, he is eager to add hospital partners across the country.
“We’re the human touch connecting them to the learning, nonprofits and technology to
help them turn their passion into action,” Carson said. “We can give them what they need to
change the world.” DJI
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and/or raise awareness with approximately 300
active nonprofits.
“GivingPoint meets students where they are
in a tech world,” Carson said.
This is good news for high school
students in Atlanta Public Schools (APS)
who must complete 75 hours of community
service before they graduate. APS has entered
into a partnership with GivingPoint and is
encouraging all its high schools to use this free
online service to facilitate access to community
service and hours tracking.
“It’s been an amazing way to organize service
learning at Maynard Jackson High School over
the past four years,” Principal Stephanie Johnson
said. They already have 100 percent student
participation. Plus, GivingPoint has connected
her students to meaningful service, such as
making and delivering sandwiches to downtown
homeless shelters and tutoring middle school
students within their cluster.
For a smaller cohort of20-25 high school
students, the nonprofit offers a 10-month
combination leadership and engagement
program, the GivingPoint Institute. High school
students with at least 100 hours of community
service plus other requirements apply in the
spring for participation the following school
year. Once accepted, students participate in
monthly workshops sponsored by corporate and
community partners covering strategic planning,
budgeting, marketing, etc., to learn how to
a launch community project, an awareness
campaign, and/or their own nonprofit.
“Giving Point Institute is the most
important experience of high school for me so
far,” Lovett senior Claire Biggerstaff said. “They
believe in what young adults can do and support
your big dreams.”
Biggerstaff started Kids 4 CURE to benefit
CURE Childhood Cancer as her project. It’s a
yearlong program for grades 3rd through 6th
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AtlantalNtownPaper.com
September 2016 I iNtown 41