ST. JOSEPH, Mich. -- Berrien Community Foundation's (BCF) youth advisory committee, Teens Exhibiting Able Minds (T.E.A.M.), awarded $5,000 in Golden Acorn Classroom Mini Grants to 15 teachers and school staff across six school districts in Berrien County.

T.E.A.M., made up of middle and high school students from across Berrien County, meets monthly to review grants and participate in community service projects. Each of the $500 mini grants, awarded twice a year, fund classroom projects intended to inspire students and enhance learning.

“By having our T.E.A.M. members review these mini grant applications, they are learning about generosity and philanthropy,” said Susan Matheny, BCF program and T.E.A.M. director. “Our community and our schools benefit from these students’ first-hand knowledge of what is needed in the schools they attend every day.”

These funded projects include printmaking in New Buffalo Elementary School's art classes, a "Unity Day" meant to build trust, teamwork, and inclusion among students at Coloma Junior High School, and viewing wildlife through binoculars for Outdoor Learning at Countryside Academy in Benton Harbor.