STAMFORD, CONN. (Aug. 21, 2014) —Keep America Beautiful (KAB) has selected 10 high school students from across the country to serve on its third national Youth Advisory Council (YAC), which is sponsored through the generous support of the Wrigley Company Foundation.
The YAC creates a framework for youth engagement with KAB, building on the model of youth service with KAB community-based affiliates at the local and state levels. The newly-selected YAC members will provide an original point of view in assessing KAB programs, implement local service projects, and will act as ambassadors and leaders for youth service in their respective communities and states.
The selection decisions were based on a written application, geographic representation, grade level (mixing different grades), and interest area (litter prevention, beautification and community greening, and waste reduction/recycling). No more than one member can represent any one state.
The members of the 2014/2015 YAC class come from across the nation:
- Ariel McAffrey, Oklahoma City, Okla.
- Brittany Amano, Honolulu, Hawaii
- Deja Chappell, Montgomery, Ala.
- Ciara Goodmanson, Midway, Ga.
- Millie Ma, Lexington, Ken.
- Rachel Pohl, Fayetteville, Ark.
- Laine Rumreich, Indianapolis, Ind.
- Connor Stack, Lake Arrowhead, Calif.
- Alex White, Springfield, Mass.
- Sarah Young, Pflugerville, Texas
In addition, a new YAC Field Team was created for the 2014/2015 school year that will serve as a support network for the YAC members in field testing and implementing programs. The following students were selected: Tyler Bleuel, Stamford, Conn.; William DiGravio, Plymouth, Mass.; Karina Gonzalez, Downey, Calif.; Bria James, Christiansted, Virgin Islands; Hasib Muhammad, Suwanee, Ga.; Benjamin Strope, Friendswood, Texas; and Brooke Widmar, Sparta, Mo.
Through the generous support of the Wrigley Company Foundation, Youth Advisory Council members will meet with their counterparts from across the country at Keep America Beautiful’s National Conference in Washington, D.C., which takes place Jan. 27-29, 2015.
With the Foundation’s support, YAC members also will be provided with a grant of up to $5,000 to produce a community service project in their own community.
About Keep America Beautiful
Keep America Beautiful is the nation’s leading nonprofit that brings people together to build and sustain vibrant communities. With a national network of community-based affiliates, we work with millions of volunteers who take action in their communities to transform public spaces into beautiful places. Through our programs and public-private partnerships, we engage individuals to take greater responsibility for improving their community’s environment. For more information, visitkab.org, follow us on Twitter, like us on Facebook, or view us on YouTube.
About the Wrigley Company Foundation
The mission of the Wrigley Company Foundation is to help improve the health of people and our planet through sustainable initiatives, including those focused on environmental stewardship, as well as local needs that ensure a healthy community. Since its founding in 1987, the Wrigley Company Foundation has donated more than $60 million USD to charitable organizations improving lives around the world. For more information, visit www.wrigley.com and www.mars.com.