Washburn Leadership Students Give 10K to SENT and Capper
After a semester of learning how nonprofit grantmaking works, Washburn Leadership students capped off their leadership experience by presenting checks to two Topeka-based programs that serve the early education needs of young children. Through the generosity of long-time UWGT volunteers and donors Joe and Janet Aleshire, the students were able to award Aleshire Venture Grants to SENT Prep Academy and Capper Foundation.
The Aleshire Venture Grants power sessions of LE 300, an applied leadership class for students of any discipline. These grants must address the needs young children prenatally to school age. Leadership students worked with UWGT CEO Jessica Lehnherr under the guidance of WU Leadership Institute Associate Director Madeline Lambing to learn how to craft and distribute a Request for Proposal, evaluate proposed programs and come to consensus on a funding decision. Each semester culminates with a group presentation to the UWGT Board of Directors and, when the pandemic doesn't preclude it, an in-person check presentation.
This fall, the student groups and their chosen grant recipients were:
Leaders United Team
- Lauryn Massey- Junior, Mass Media major, Spring Hill, KS
- Phoebe Stottlemire- Junior, Music Education major, Topeka, KS
- Koy Olberding- Junior, Legal Studies major, Corning, KS
- Peyton Wilson- Junior, Finance and Data Analytics major, Andover, KS
- Shayden Hanes- Junior, Finance and International Business major, Elkhart, KS
- Lauren Frank- Sophomore, Physics and Engineering major, Topeka, KS
- Keniel Negron- Junior, Psychology major, Vega Bajo, Puerto Rico
The Leaders United Team presented a $2,500 Aleshire Venture Grant to the Capper Foundation staff members Sandy Crawford, Vice President of Pediatric Services and Edie Smith, Vice President of Development and Marketing, for Capper's Behavior Support Services Program
- Children participate in a 15-week therapy course with a Board Certified Behavior Analyst
- The program covers a wide variety of subjects: speaking, potty-training, and other essential skills.
- The program encourages learning through play and discovering the root of behavior problems
- Normally the cost for the program is $900 per child
- The grant funds will allow participation by families who could otherwise not afford the class. Because the program is meant for families and the child, it is not billable through insurance.
WUnited Cares Team
- Elizabeth Pendergrass- Junior, Criminal Justice major, Topeka, KS
- Zach Yelland- Junior, Business major, Pomona, KS
- Emilio Chavez- Senior, Psychology major, Topeka, KS
- Abby Trautman- Senior, Biology major, Raymore, MO
- Mikaella White- Junior, Social Work major, Chanute, KS
- Easton Weems- Junior, Criminal Justice major, Oskaloosa, KS
- Kinsey Kuttler- Junior, Kinesiology major, Basehor, KS
The WUnited Cares Team presented a $7,500 Aleshire Venture Grant to SENT Prep Academy Executive Director Nikki Ramirez-Jennings. The grant will allow SENT to purchase material for and train teachers in “The Creative Curriculum.” This curriculum helps children develop as infants, to toddlers, and twos which helps prepare them for kindergarten readiness.
SENT's objectives for The Creative Curriculum are four-fold:
- Social/emotional → really working with teachers to understand why a child is acting how they are (analyzing behavior takes training)
- Physical → making sure the children are up, moving, and getting wiggles out
- Cognitive → the obvious part, helping the kids think, learn, and remember (the academic side of things)
- Language → want teachers to help the kids do basic ASL and Spanish!
Thanks to all the students, to the Aleshires, and to our partners at the Washburn University Leadership Institute for another impactful semester!