Students learn to make a difference through local nonprofits
DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN) — High school juniors from the Miami Valley are learning how to make a difference in the community.
On Friday, students visited multiple non-profits to see opportunities to give and volunteer. 2 NEWS is sharing the lessons they're taking away.
Dayton Metro Library's full Black History Month program list
'My community has done so much for me. I just want to give back,' said Harman Kaur, Dayton Regional STEM School Junior.
With each box of school supplies put on shelves, these students are giving back to nonprofit Crayons to Classrooms.
'We're really excited to have this group here today. They've been a lot of fun and they've done a lot of good work to help us serve the teachers for next week,' said Amy Kopp, Crayons to Classrooms director of development.
This is part of Making a Difference in Your Community Day, for high school juniors in the Junior Leadership Dayton Program. It's hosted by the Dayton Foundation and the YMCA.
One Friday per month, the students get out of class to learn about what it means to serve their community.
'I think it really opens their eyes to what Dayton has to offer as a community. And I think it really helps them grow in their leadership,' said Taylor Walker, YMCA teen development director. 'And I think by the end of it, they're doing it because of the greater cause and not just because it's a resume booster.'
After Crayons to Classrooms, the group visited the Dayton Dream Center, and Kids in New Directions. At the end of the day, program leaders hope these students realize they can make a difference.
'Just as the Dayton Foundation says, we want to help you help others. And I want the students to be able to understand that they can have that within themselves, that they can go on and help others,' said Karen Gruenberg, the Dayton Foundation.
And students say it's been an opportunity to make new friends and give back.
'If you really want to do something, you would go out of your way to do it,' said Kaur. 'Even though you aren't getting paid, you aren't required to do it.'
Through this initiative, the students got the chance to be philanthropists. With the help of the Dayton Foundation, the students picked one of the nonprofits they visited Friday to donate to.
To learn more about the Dayton Foundation and how they help you help others, click here.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Yahoo
June 14: 10th Mountain Monument re-dedication ceremony
The 10th Mountain Monument re-dedication ceremony for the Army's 250 birthday celebration & YMCA Healthy Kids Day will be held on Saturday, June 14, at 9 a.m. at Thompson Park. Activities will follow the ceremony at 10 a.m. Events Include: plaque unveiling, birthday cake cutting, army band, history displays, bounce houses, ninja course, face painting and more. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
06-06-2025
- Yahoo
On This Day, June 6: YMCA founded in London
On this date in history: In 1844, the Young Men's Christian Association -- YMCA -- was founded in London. In 1872, feminist Susan B. Anthony was fined for voting in an election in Rochester, N.Y. She refused to pay the fine and a judge allowed her to go free. In 1933, the first drive-in movie theater opened -- in Camden, N.J. In 1944, hundreds of thousands of Allied troops began crossing the English Channel in the D-Day invasion of Nazi-occupied Europe. It was the largest invasion in history. In 1966, James Meredith, who in 1962 became the first Black American to attend the University of Mississippi, was shot by a sniper during a civil rights "March Against Fear" walk in the South. Meredith was hospitalized and recovered from his wounds, later rejoining the long march, which he had originated. In 1968, Sen. Robert F. Kennedy, Democratic presidential candidate and former U.S. attorney general, died the day after he was struck by an assassin's bullets in California. He was 42. In 1972, a coal mine explosion in Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe), trapped 464 miners underground. More than 425 people died. In 1981, a train conductor braked too hard to avoid hitting a cow, causing several cars in his train to slip off the tracks in rainy weather. The cars slid off a bridge into a swollen river, drowning an estimated 600 people in India. In 1982, thousands of Israeli forces pushed deep into Lebanon in an effort to defeat Palestinian guerrillas sheltering in the southern border region and near the capital of Beirut. Syria said its forces joined the fighting in a major escalation of the conflict. In 1993, the Guatemalan legislature elected Ramiro de Leon Carpio as president to replace ousted leader Jorge Serrano. In 2001, a man drove his pickup truck into a Muslim family of Pakistani heritage, killing four and injuring one in London, Ontario, Canada. The driver was charged with terroristic murder and accused of targeting the family because of their religion. In 2023, Prince Harry became the first member of the British royal family to give testimony during a court proceeding since 1891. He sued Mirror Group Newspapers, accusing them of illegally hacking. In February 2024, Prince Harry won a "substantial" settlement in the case.


UPI
06-06-2025
- UPI
On This Day, June 6: YMCA founded in London
1 of 4 | Olympic swim champ Michael Phelps talks with children at a YMCA in New York City on August 28, 2008. On June 6, 1844, the Young Men's Christian Association -- YMCA -- was founded in London. File Photo by Ezio Petersen/UPI | License Photo On this date in history: In 1844, the Young Men's Christian Association -- YMCA -- was founded in London. In 1872, feminist Susan B. Anthony was fined for voting in an election in Rochester, N.Y. She refused to pay the fine and a judge allowed her to go free. In 1933, the first drive-in movie theater opened -- in Camden, N.J. In 1944, hundreds of thousands of Allied troops began crossing the English Channel in the D-Day invasion of Nazi-occupied Europe. It was the largest invasion in history. File Photo courtesy of the U.S. Army In 1966, James Meredith, who in 1962 became the first Black American to attend the University of Mississippi, was shot by a sniper during a civil rights "March Against Fear" walk in the South. Meredith was hospitalized and recovered from his wounds, later rejoining the long march, which he had originated. In 1968, Sen. Robert F. Kennedy, Democratic presidential candidate and former U.S. attorney general, died the day after he was struck by an assassin's bullets in California. He was 42. In 1972, a coal mine explosion in Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe), trapped 464 miners underground. More than 425 people died. In 1981, a train conductor braked too hard to avoid hitting a cow, causing several cars in his train to slip off the tracks in rainy weather. The cars slid off a bridge into a swollen river, drowning an estimated 600 people in India. In 1982, thousands of Israeli forces pushed deep into Lebanon in an effort to defeat Palestinian guerrillas sheltering in the southern border region and near the capital of Beirut. Syria said its forces joined the fighting in a major escalation of the conflict. Israeli Defense Minister Ariel Sharon displays a map of Israel and Lebanon as he appears on the CBS television show "Face the Nation" in Washington on August 29, 1982. Sharon said the Palestine Liberation Organization was very heavily damaged and he believes the new government of Lebanon will sign a peace treaty with Israel. File Photo by Mal Langsdon/UPI In 1993, the Guatemalan legislature elected Ramiro de Leon Carpio as president to replace ousted leader Jorge Serrano. In 2001, a man drove his pickup truck into a Muslim family of Pakistani heritage, killing four and injuring one in London, Ontario, Canada. The driver was charged with terroristic murder and accused of targeting the family because of their religion. In 2023, Prince Harry became the first member of the British royal family to give testimony during a court proceeding since 1891. He sued Mirror Group Newspapers, accusing them of illegally hacking. In February 2024, Prince Harry won a "substantial" settlement in the case.