WHAT IS TEAM?

Teens Exhibiting Able Minds is the Youth Advisory Committee of the Berrien Community Foundation. This group consists of young people throughout Berrien County who volunteer their time to help the Berrien Community Foundation with its Youth Endowment. TEAM recommends grants to support many organizations and projects that provide practical solutions to critical issues and challenges facing contemporary youth. 

The Berrien Community Foundation assists TEAM members in becoming wise stewards of the endowment and empowers them to "give back to the community" to build a better life and future for all of us. Since 1989, TEAM has recommended more than $1 million in charitable grants to enhance the quality of life for youth today .  .  . and in the future.

 

(l to r):  Front Row:  Adult Advisor Anne Mc Causland, TEAM Members Marsalis Leonard, Julia Diefenbach, Megan Polfus, Nellie Petlick, Tracy Giannola

Back row:  Kyle Bartoszek, Derrick Atkins, Chase Cundiff, Michael Smiy, Adult Advisor Carol Oehlhaffen

Not pictured:  Valerie Miller

TEAM's MISSION

Empowering youth to develop life-long values of generosity, leadership, and volunteerism.

 

PRESENT TEAM MEMBERS

 

Derrick Atkins, Co Vice Chair

Kyle Bartoszek

Chase Cundiff, Co Vice Chair

Julia Diefenbach

Tracy Giannola

Marsalis Leonard

Valerie Miller

Nellie Petlick

Megan Polfus, Co Chair

Michael Smiy, Co Chair

 

Adult Advisors:  

Carol Oehlhaffen, Anne Mc Causland, Program Director

 

HOW CAN YOU JOIN TEAM?
 

Derrick Atkins (l), Kyle Bartoszek, and Marsalis Leonard,

members of TEAM,  confer about several grant applications

 

TEAM's goal is to have members from every school district in Berrien County. Contact the Berrien Community Foundation (see information at the bottom of this page) if you are looking to be part of something meaningful to your communities. We welcome students in 8th-12th grades.

TEAM members meet once a month during the school year to engage in the following volunteer activities:

• Review grant applications and make funding recommendations (twice yearly)
• Share information on youth efforts and programs in the community
• Develop youth leadership skills
• Volunteer in community service projects

• And have FUN making new friends!

WHAT IS THE GRANT PROCESS?

Please see the Grantmaking Guidelines page for specific information. Youth groups in Berrien County are invited to apply for funds in the Fall to help them start or expand special activities that help other young people.  Make sure that you have an adult advisor, plus the support of the school, church, or nonprofit organization that sponsors your group.

• TEAM will only consider grant applications that incorporate youth involvement from the planning stages through implementation. Projects planned solely by adults cannot be considered.
• Youth involved in the project will be asked to attend a TEAM meeting to discuss their project.

Projects that address one or more of the following identified by high school students in the 2002 Youth Issues Discussion Groups will receive the highest priority:

• Development of positive youth decision-making skills*
• Positive entertainment for youth*
• Drug abuse prevention/awareness
• Teen sex/pregnancy prevention
• Drunken driving

Left to Right:  2005-2006 TEAM members Linnea Petzke, Carol Oehlhaffen, Adult Advisor, Ashley Christiano, Patrick Kading, Alex Petlick, Steph Smiy, Dushime Gashugi, Andy Rutebuka, Destiny  Perry, Program Director Anne Mc Causland, and Board Trustee Patricia Forbes (front) lend a hand to the Therapeutic Equestrian Center on a recent day of service. TEAM also provided this same service in 2007.

For more information about the grant deadlines (March 1 for proactive grantmaking related to the * items above [by invitation only from TEAM by February 1] and September 1 for all other) and application information and forms, please contact Anne Mc Causland, Program Director, at 269-983-3304, ext. 2 or AnneMcCausland@BerrienCommunity.org.