By Scott Brazda, The Stuller Family Foundation

“Over the next few weeks you’re going to feel like you’re in a philanthropy class, a theology class, a business class, a sociology class, heck… even a life skills class.” And so begins the first session for the Junior Philanthropy classes I’ve conducted in a number of schools in our little part of southwest Louisiana.

What’s the difference between charity and philanthropy? Why do people give? How do people give? How do people ask? What are the characteristics of a winning nonprofit organization? Can young people make a difference? And do you have to be a millionaire to be a philanthropist? Those are just some to topics sent toward the fertile minds of students between the ages of 12 and 18.

I was looking for a way to lay a foundation with our area’s young people—our future leaders, board members, staff, and volunteers. I was looking for a way to plant a seed of community, and to present them with…. possibilities.

I began with the low-hanging fruit—my high school alma mater. The school’s director of faith formation asked, “Can we fit your philanthropy lesson within our senior theology classes?” To which I answered, “Didn’t Jesus know a thing or two about ‘giving’?” And so off we went.

My favorite discussion involves How Do People Ask? And it starts with this simple scenario: “How do you ask Mom and Dad for 25 bucks to go to the movie? What do they want to know before they open their purses and wallets?” Answers like, “What movie? Who are you going with? What’s it rated? What time does it end?” come first; then I ask, “But what do they want to know before they even consider the movie?” That’s when I get, “Did you do your homework? How’s your Algebra grade? Did you cut the grass? Are you still picking on your little brother?”

What does this have to do with philanthropy? Simple. These are essentially the same kinds of questions we ask nonprofits when they want to discuss a grant. Essentially, we ask, “Is your own house in order before you ever come to us?” That’s step one, and if the answer is yes, then I discuss ‘the movie,’ a.k.a. the actual project and grant request.

For each class I get directors from some of our winning nonprofits to visit, along with community leaders who are adept at motivating and rallying the troops—folks like the mayor, our college football coach, and a former NFL All-Pro quarterback. Each of these guests can bring handouts/brochures and show a brief video, but with one requirement: They also have to present a volunteer opportunity to these students.

Admittedly, ours is a captive audience; the students have to be there. But in almost every class, there is one 17- or 18-year-old who walks up to the director of our symphony, and says something like, “I play the violin. Could I help the symphony with its Boys & Girls Clubs musical outreach?” That’s how a movement starts. And it just takes one person to get things started.

We’re now in three high schools and two middle schools, with administrators at others (private and public schools) asking if I can fit them in. The principals and teachers love it, and getting to know the nonprofits a bit helps the students make educated choices when it comes to fulfilling their ‘service hours’ requirement. In a sense, we’re helping to develop educated donors.

And next year? We’re going to let these kids make grants. That’s right; give them some seed money (from our foundation and three others) and provide them with a mechanism for the practical application of their newly found philanthropic knowledge.

I know we’re all really “philanthropists in training” and that the need for improvement never ends. It’s our hope that, through our Junior Philanthropy program, we’re speeding up the learning curve for the next generation of difference-makers.

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Scott Brazda is executive director of The Stuller Family Foundation. For 16 years, he served as a news and sports anchor at KATC-TV in Lafayette, LA, during which time he won seven Associated Press awards. Scott is a committee member for the United Way of Acadiana and Community Foundation of Acadiana, board member of the Louisiana Association of Nonprofit Organizations, and faculty member of the University of Louisiana at Lafayette communications department.