Youth in Philanthropy Grand Awarded

The 2025 Youth in Philanthropy class presents Khalil Benhajjam, Executive Director at Culpeper Literacy with a $10,000 grant at their November 19, 2025 graduation.

At a ceremony celebrating their completion of the 2025 Youth in Philanthropy program, area high school students announced Culpeper Literacy as the recipient of a $10,000 grant. The award is the culmination of 8 weeks of learning about philanthropy, meeting with representatives of area nonprofits, evaluating grant proposals, and working together to arrive at a consensus on which organization would be the recipient of the grant.

This year’s Youth in Philanthropy (YIP) program began in September with team building and leadership activities at Verdun Adventure Bound after which the students learned about the philanthropic process, met a donor and a board member, and prepared to meet with area nonprofit organizations. Over four weeks the cohort met with representatives from The Fauquier Free Clinic, Hero’s Bridge, Piedmont Area Soap Box Derby, Friends of the Rappahannock, and Culpeper Literacy before meeting one final time to decide which organization would receive the $10,000 grant. “The most difficult part about this program was the choosing part… there’s such a diverse amount of different programs, and they all have one focus: to help their communities, and it’s just so hard to choose which one,” remarked Avangelene Rodriquez Aguilar, a sophomore at Culpeper County High School.

Culpeper Literacy Executive Director Khalil Benhajjam was present to accept the grant, expressing his heartfelt thanks and telling the students, “You came in as learners about philanthropy, and you’re leaving as young leaders of the community now.”

Northern Piedmont Community Foundation staff were impressed with the maturity and thoughtfulness with which the students approached the program. “The care and diligence these young people brought to this process gives me great confidence in the next generation of community leaders. Their decision reflects not only thoughtful evaluation, but a genuine desire to strengthen and support our local nonprofits,” said Jim LaGraffe, Executive Director of the Northern Piedmont Community Foundation.

Youth in Philanthropy is a youth leadership program sponsored by the Northern Piedmont Community Foundation that gives hands-on experience with philanthropic giving to area teens. At 22 students, this year marks the largest cohort since the program’s inception in 2022, with students ranging in age from tenth to twelfth grade and representing public and private schools and homeschool students from Culpeper, Fauquier, Madison, and Rappahannock counties.