Local Students Invest in the Future: WACF Youth Council Awards $15,000 in Grants

Northeast Radio SD News – Watertown, SD - Demonstrating the power of student-led philanthropy, the Watertown Area Community Foundation’s (WACF) Youth Council has officially awarded $15,000 in grants to nine local organizations dedicated to supporting area youth.

The Youth Council comprises local high school juniors and seniors who spend their two-year terms engaging with nonprofits and assessing the specific needs of their peers. This year’s funding decisions were the result of a rigorous process that included site visits and a “youth perspective” needs assessment to prioritize the most pressing challenges facing young people in the community today.

2026 Grant Recipients

The $15,000 was distributed among a diverse group of programs ranging from mental health and transportation to the arts and basic necessities:

·         Watertown Area Foster Closet: $2,000 for teen clothing and essential supplies for youth in foster care.

·         Joy Ranch of South Dakota: $2,000 to support Young Timber Camp for at-risk boys ages 11–14.

·         Goss Opera House: $2,000 for a free summer youth theater residency with Missoula Children’s Theatre.

·         Community Transit of Watertown/Sisseton: $2,000 to provide youth transportation via the “Dawg Days of Summer” program.

·         Interlakes Community Action Partnership (ICAP): $1,905 for outdoor play equipment at Head Start.

·         Beacon Center: $1,800 to support the Healthy Relationships Project curriculum.

·         Boys & Girls Club of Watertown: $1,295 for summer gardening program supplies in partnership with Coteau Prairie Master Gardeners.

·         Watertown Police Department: $1,000 to support Camp Chance.

·         Watertown Cares: $1,000 for bus tokens to assist residents experiencing homelessness.

Leading with Confidence

For the members of the council, the experience is about more than just distributing funds; it is a lesson in leadership and community responsibility.

“We were able to use what we learned from our needs assessment and our visits with local nonprofits to make granting decisions we feel confident in,” said senior member Siri Bach. “It’s rewarding to see how those dollars will make a real difference”.

The current council includes seniors Siri Bach, Leila Byer, and Whitney Martinsen, as well as juniors Abby Kruger, Kate McElroy, and Owen Muller.

A Legacy of Impact

Since its inception in 2001, the WACF Youth Council has seen 78 students serve as members and has awarded a cumulative total of more than $233,000 to the community.

As the program moves toward its 25th anniversary in the 2026–2027 cycle, the Foundation plans to celebrate this milestone with alumni and the community while continuing to empower the next generation of Watertown leaders.