P.U.L.S.E. of Noble County members visit Egg Basket of the Midwest

Participate in Phil’s EGGcellent Adventure

Youth philanthropists and their adult mentors visited Warsaw, Indiana last weekend to participate in a retreat for members of Youth Pods.  Youth Pods are groups of young people that receive support from the Dekko Foundation to practice bringing about positive change in their communities.

Held in the ‘Egg Basket of the Midwest,’ Phil’s EGGcellent Adventure was planned and hosted by a team of young leaders called ‘phish.’  (phish stands for philanthropic ideas, strategy and heart.)

Attending the retreat from Noble County, Indiana were: Madison Ritchie, Lexi Ortiz, Jackie White, Karen Silva, Lydia Worman, Erin Maneke, Allison Baker, Kellie Waring, Reggie Parker, Austin Kugler, and Ben Jansen.

“The number one idea that I gained from the Eggcellent retreat was how to tackle road blocks such as attendance and communication issues by practicing four different ideas in the youth pod. The four ideas were self-examination, which means focusing on how your actions affect others. The next was staying open to growth and change within the pod and community. The third idea was trusting each other in the pod. The last idea was being open to mutual actions and working together. I will be sure to take these ideas back to my pod for a great year!” Kellie Waring, P.U.L.S.E. President

The young people were supported by their adult mentors: Katie Mullins and Margarita White

“Never underestimate the power of a teenager. I spent 3 days with nearly 200 teenagers that have the power, willingness, and drive to positively impact our community well into the future and all adults need to do is give them the guidance and the freedom to do so.” Katie Mullins, P.U.L.S.E. Navigator

Highlights of Phil’s EGGcellent Adventure included:

• Sharing ideas among Youth Pod members from Alabama, Indiana, Iowa and Minnesota.
• The opportunity to decide, as a group, which organizations would receive a $5,000 philanthropic investment that originated from teens’ conference registration fees.
• The chance to see a variety of chicken species and learn about the nature of chickens and their importance in the world.

The Dekko Foundation has supported youth philanthropy groups for the past 23 years.  This is the ninth time that the Foundation has brought teens together for a conference.

“During past Youth Pod retreats, we’ve emphasized a personal passion for philanthropy,” commented Kimberly Schroeder, program officer for the Dekko Foundation.  “This time, we encouraged group philanthropy and how a group of focused, dedicated people can bring about positive change.”

P.U.L.S.E. of Noble County would like to thank the following people and organizations which support their work throughout the year: Dekko Foundation, Noble County Community Foundation, East Noble School Corporation, Central Noble Community School Corporation, West Noble School Corporation, and our parents!

For more information about Youth Pods, visit: www.dekkofoundation.org/youthphilanthropy/