Cathy Benson | The Botetourt View

Sammy Foster has participated in The Foundation for Roanoke Valley's Youth Leadership Committee, helping the organization screen and award grants to nonprofit organizations.

Another school year draws to a close, and for some students it is time to reflect on events of the year. Sammy Foster is an enterprising junior at Lord Botetourt High School. Not only does he attend the Roanoke Valley Governor's School, he is also the representative for LBHS on the Foundation for Roanoke Valley's Youth Leadership Committee.

The young leaders' initiative, The Philanthropy Project, introduces participants to philanthropy, grant-making and volunteerism. The committee is made up of students from the Roanoke Valley.

Foster, of Blue Ridge, said the group meets two times a month and looks at different applications from nonprofit organizations at the foundation, which is based in downtown Roanoke. The YLC members had $25,000 under their care to make awards from the foundation to applicants. They received $188,000 in requests from 27 different local nonprofit groups.

"None of them came from Botetourt County," said Foster, who wants to go to Duke University or the University of Virginia and major in something in the mathematics field.

Ultimately they decided on Greenvale School, Child Health Investment Partnership, Roanoke Adolescent Health Partnership, the League of Older Americans and the Helen Cadd Elderly Protection Fund as recipients of the grants.

Foster discovered through participating in the YLC that nonprofit organizations have to get money through grants. It was an eye-opening experience for him to review the applications.

"I learned how it works and how many people it helps when nonprofits apply for money."

It was not all work, however. "The fun part," he said, "is to go places like Friendship Manor for a luau party with residents there. We went to the Rescue Mission on several occasions, too. These were volunteer and service project events and I enjoyed participating in them."