Over the past school year, the Sierra Vista High School Messenger staff has been participating in a volunteerism project, helping them discover that they can make a positive difference in their community, called We R Community (WRC).

The Public Education Foundation started the program with four schools during the 2008-2009 school year. This year, there were nine participating schools.

The Public Education Foundation (PEF) initiated this project in 2008 and provided students with a unique perspective on volunteerism.

"We R Community is modeled after a program called Community 101. Since its inception over 5,000 students have been involved at 25 schools per year and is now a model program with more than $1 million distributed to Oregon nonprofit organizations," said the WRC Program Manager Leslie Devore.

"It is education through experience with civic engagement. We R Community is a prime example of how students develop invaluable life skills through interacting with members of their community," added Devore.

We R Community showed high school students what philanthropy and nonprofit organizations were all about; We R Community transformed them into givers.

"The program introduces students to the importance of leadership, service, philanthropy and the nonprofit sector by giving them the ability to fund programs they choose," (http://www.ccpef.org/programs_wrcommunity.html).

The SVHS journalism staff was given $5,000 that they would donate to one or multiple nonprofit foundations. They spent the whole school year working on this project by creating a mission statement, researching nonprofit organizations, reviewing grant applications, and including this experience into their own lives.

State Farm Insurance donated the $5,000 grant to SVHS, and agent Donna Fisher-Brown worked with the journalism staff to make this program possible.

The students also volunteered a minimum of two hours per month to get experience.

"It’s been so rewarding to see students, who have never done anything like WRC before, become thoughtful grant makers and community volunteers," said Devore. "We R Community enriches the hearts and minds of students. It’s a youth philanthropy movement that is taking hold and getting stronger day by day, and we are all part of it."

After countless hours of research, the SVHS journalism staff hosted a grant award ceremony where they gave checks to three nonprofits including: The Shade Tree Shelter, FACT, and Child Focus.

The Shade Tree Shelter was given $2,000 in grant money. Shade Tree provides shelter for abused and battered women and children. The money will be used for the salaries of professional counselors for the children.

FACT was given $850 in grant money. They will be using the money for arts and crafts supplies for therapy for the children.

Child Focus was given $2,150 in grant money. They will be using the money for the Sibling Preservation program which is designed to help foster children reconnect with their siblings.

Gaining valuable experience, the journalism staff is great full for the WRC program.

"We R Community has taught me to appreciate what I have and how to help out others," said junior Kyra Kinnaman, "It has made me a better person," she added.