“As a group, we discussed how lucky we are to have had the opportunity to make such a difference in our community, and how only a handful of others our age have had this type of opportunity.”
By Genesis Kebede, 15 Forever participant (2018)
Being in the 15 Forever program is truly the most wholesome project I have ever been a part of.
As a group of about 10 high school students, we never really thought that we could make a big difference in our community. But being in the 15 Forever program has given all of us a chance to do something about the issues in our community … and the resources to do so.
First, discussing the issues among Boulder County youth really opened not only my eyes, but everyone’s eyes to the often invisible issues that occur in our own backyard. After discussing many of our concerns, we narrowed down to a specific community issue that we want to address, and that’s how we developed our request for the proposals. This year, 15 Forever participants focused on high-risk youth in our community, narrowing down even further to mental illnesses and other disabilities in youth.
After sending out the RFPs, we looked at all of the proposals – first alone – and graded them. Then we came together as a group to go through the proposals, making sure they addressed our stated priorities.
The biggest thing that we looked into for each proposal is the money. We looked at how much money was being requested, and how the money was planned to be spent. We also looked at the money the applicants receive each year, and how much of that money goes toward their programs.
Another major aspect of each proposal that we looked at is the inclusivity of the programs or services described; we preferred to give grants to organizations that aren’t exclusive, and that accept high-risk youth.
After meticulous screening of each proposal, we decided whether we would table a request, deny it, or send an email to ask additional questions. This step alone took a lot of time, because we wanted to make sure that we’re awarding grants to programs that best fit our RFP.
When interviewing my fellow 15 Forever participants, they all explained how this program furthered their leadership skills, and their motivation to help their community. As a group, we discussed how lucky we are to have had the opportunity to make such a difference in our community, and how only a handful of others our age have had this type of opportunity.
Being in 15 Forever has not only given me the resources to change my community for the better, but it has also given me a voice — and the motivation to see many of the hidden issues that exist within my community.
