The Building Blocks of the Future

The White County's mission is shown through the roots of grantmaking. Our mission goes beyond simply awarding grants; we’re rooted in building our community with a focus on our youth through scholarships, grantmaking, mentoring youth, and more. Another significant way we are committed to youth is through our new research, the 40 Developmental Assets. These assets are curated by the Search Institute, which provides a framework of building blocks that all young people need to thrive. There are two main blocks: external and internal assets, that when stacked together they flourish with support, empowerment, and commitment to learning. Our grants help make some of those blocks easier to stack, providing opportunities to students to access meaningful pathways for growth. 

A 2025 Community Cares Grant was awarded to the North Central Nursing Clinics. Their award focused on helping maternal and child health by making eye exams accessible and affordable. The grant will help create a Caring School Climate, an external asset. Although the eye exams wouldn’t be given at the schools, students and families can attend the clinic to receive them. Vision care may seem like a random area to focus on, however, it plays an enormous role in the student's ability to succeed in the classroom. This grant ensures that even families without access to an optometrist can still have a service that they can use to ensure that essential healthcare support is accessible to them.

Looking at a different part of our county, North White High School, another Community Cares Grant was provided to purchase virtual reality (VR) headsets for 6th-12th grade students. This new technology offers an engaging, immersive way for students to break through barriers and increase opportunities, like seeing other parts of the world or even outer space. With a VR headset, students can explore Washington D. C’s historical landmarks and museums without the financial burden or logistical challenges of a real-life trip. This grant introduces the internal building block focusing on School Engagement, showing how modern tools can inspire curiosity and activate learning. 

It doesn’t stop there. Frontier School Corporation introduced a college lounge, where students study and relax while taking Advanced College Placement (ACP) and dual credit classes. This was a 2025 Youth Philanthropy Council Grant that was funded with the goal to renovate the lounge. This place gives students an area where they can recollect themselves, connect with others, and study. This renovation dives deep into the external asset Supportive and Caring School Climate, while also covering internal assets such as Achievement Motivation. 

Lastly (but not really), Twin Lakes School Corporation also received a Youth Philanthropy Council Grant for the Cadaver Lab Project. This project allows students to gain hands-on access to medical learning through the Medical Academic Center located in Carmel, Indiana. It provides the opportunity to explore STEM learning unforgettably, strengthening a student’s Bond to the School, honing in on an Internal Asset. This provides unique and engaging learning experiences, allowing for a way for students to know if the medical path is for them or further enhances their already existing dream. 

Now that you’ve seen a glimpse of how the 40 Developmental Assets are embedded throughout each grant that is awarded, it’s clear to see the far-reaching impact that the Community Foundation has in strengthening our community, but especially our youth. As time goes on, the blocks will continue to stack, building a stronger future by aligning with the framework that helps young people become their best selves—a kind of growth that lasts a lifetime.