2026-2027 Youth Advisory Committee New Member Application

Youth Advisory Committee New Member Application
The Youth Advisory Committee (YAC) seeks qualified candidates to fill the following openings in the 2026-2027 school year:

2 seats open to current 8th, 9th or 10th grade students for Holland High School

2 seats open to current 8th, 9th or 10th grade students for Zeeland East High School

1 seat open to a current 8th, 9th or 10th grade student for West Ottawa High School

2 seats open to current 8th, 9th, or 10th grade students for Black River Public School

4 seats open to current 8th, 9th, or 10th grade students for Holland Christian High School

1 seat open to a current 8th, 9th or 10th grade student who is a resident of the Holland/Zeeland area but does not attend one of the 6 high schools with permanent seats on the Youth Advisory Committee (Black River, Holland Christian, Holland, West Ottawa, Zeeland East, and Zeeland West).

All applications are due by March 30, 2026.

Dear Applicant,

Thank you for taking the time to apply to the Youth Advisory Committee of the Community Foundation of the Holland/Zeeland Area.

The Youth Advisory Committee (YAC) is a group of local high school students who are responsible for reviewing funding requests and recommending grants for programs that benefit area youth.

YAC members meet at least once a month during the school year for grantmaking, site visits to local organizations, and learning about community needs and philanthropy. The YAC is enriched by the unique perspective and experiences that each member brings to the Committee’s work.

The YAC program was established in 1991 through a challenge grant from the Michigan Community Foundation Youth Project (MCFYP) funded by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation. The YAC made its first grant in 1993 to the Boys and Girls Club for $1,500. Since then, the YAC has granted over $1.3 million to local youth organizations. The mission of the YAC is to empower young people, involve them in the community and teach them about philanthropy while serving as stewards through granting.

In selecting new members, the YAC looks for young people who:
- care about the community and want to make a difference
- bring diverse perspectives to our YAC are open-minded, critical thinkers able to discuss tough issues and creative solutions
- demonstrate integrity and initiative in their actions and decisions
Expectations of YAC members:
- Attend required grant meetings three times a year and the majority of all other YAC activities and meetings. YAC meetings are usually held from 5:30-7:30 pm on weeknights and dinner is provided.
- Come to meetings prepared and actively participate in decision-making and activities
- Be an advocate for the YAC, the Community Foundation, and the needs of youth in the Holland/Zeeland area
All applicants will be notified of final decisions by the end of May.

If you have any questions about the application or the YAC, please contact Yadah V. Ramirez at yramirez@cfhz.org or 616.994.8862.

Thank you for your interest in YAC and best of luck!

Yazlén Ochoa, Chair
Annica Yin, Chair-Elect
Virchow Dai, Distribution Committee Representative
Katelyn Witte, Secretary
Xiomara Alonzo, Treasurer

The following questions related to applicant demographics will not be used as part of the selection process but only as a means of understanding the make up of the applicant pool and selected candidates. These data will not be shared or reported on outside of the reviewing body and CFHZ staff.

Name*

First NameLast Name
Address*

Street Address

Street Address Line 2

CityState / Province

Postal / Zip Code
Student Phone Number*
Please enter a valid phone number.
Student Email*
example@example.com
Race/Ethnicity
Gender
High School*
Current Grade*
Only apply if currently in 9th or 10th grade
Parent/guardian Phone Number*
Please enter a valid phone number.
Parent/guardian Email*
example@example.com
Are you receiving help to complete this application? (Simply to understand how easy our application is to complete for a student on their own).*

YesNo
If yes, who did you receive help from?*

Parent/guardianTeacherCounselorYouth program staffPeerFamily friendDid not receive any help

You are now entering the short answer portion of the application. We encourage you to save your responses in a separate document, so that your work is not lost should a technical difficulty occur. Should you experience a technical issues or have a question about the short answer prompts, please feel free to email yramirez@cfhz.org.

If selected to serve on the YAC, do you commit to attending at least half of all YAC meetings in a given academic year?*

YesNo
Have you applied to YAC before?*

YesNo
School Activities in which you are involved:*
(Example: Varsity Tennis, Band, Theater)
School Organizations in which you are involved:*
(Example: National Honors Society, Calling All Colors, SLIC)
Community/Service Activities in which you are involved:*
(Example: Community Action House Food Club Volunteer, Harbor Humane Society Volunteer, etc.)
Community organizations in which you are involved and describe your involvement:*
(Example: Boys and Girls Club, Upward Bound, I AM Academy, LAUP, YoungLife, Resilience, Culture Works, etc.)
Youth Advisory Committees in which you are involved or have been involved in the past:*
(Example: Holland Youth Advisory Council, Resilience Youth Advisory Council, Culture Works Youth Advisory Council, Children's Advocacy Center Youth Advisory Council, etc.)
Why do you want to serve on the Youth Advisory Committee?*

(Word count range min. 200 - max 300)0/300
What would you bring to the Youth Advisory Committee (personal perspective or experience, skills, abilities, etc.)?*

(Word count range min. 200 - max 300)0/300
If selected, what would you hope to learn from being a YAC member?*

(Word count range min. 200 - max 300)0/300
How did you hear about the Youth Advisory Committee?*

(Word count range min. 10 - max 300)0/300
If the YAC reviewers select you for an interview, would you accept the invitation? The interview will be used with your application during the selection process.*

YesNo
Anything else you want to share with us about why you feel you should be selected to serve on the YAC? This could include, but is not limited to lived experiences, leadership experiences, etc

(Word count range min. 0 - max 300)0/300
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