News & Stories
Celebrating Our 2024 YAC Graduating Seniors
Our Youth Advisory Council (YAC) program involves local high school students as leaders and grantmakers across Antrim, Benzie, Grand Traverse, Kalkaska, and Leelanau Counties.
We are incredibly grateful for the dedication of our YAC students throughout this academic year and would like to give an extra special shout-out to all of our YAC seniors who recently graduated! Congratulations!
Alongside fellow YAC members, they awarded a total of $91,000 to 26 nonprofits across the region last fall.
Check out what our YAC seniors (now alumni!) have planned post-graduation!
- Payshence Bruce
Name: Payshence Bruce
Years of YAC Service: 3
County: Antrim
Post-Grad Plans: I will attend Northern Michigan University to receive a bachelor’s degree.
How YAC Impacted Me: Being a part of YAC impacted me by showing me how to efficiently fund organizations that need it. It also helped me learn about the value of money and how to fund wisely.
- Mary Kate Carroll
Name: Mary Kate Carroll
Years of YAC Service: 2 (includes service on the YAC Leadership Team)
County: Grand Traverse
Post-Grad Plans: Attend the University of Notre Dame to study Chemistry and Finance.
How YAC Impacted Me: YAC made me aware of the many great organizations in the community and made me more informed about the grantmaking process.
- Lilli Cerny
Name: Lilli Cerny
Years of YAC Service: 2
County: Grand Traverse
Post-Grad Plans: Attending Marquette University for their business program.
How YAC Impacted Me: YAC showed me how the grant awarding process works, and I learned about the different organizations in the Grand Traverse area that support our communities.
- Alyssa Colvin
Name: Alyssa Colvin
Years of YAC Service: 2
County: Kalkaska
Post-Grad Plans: I’m going to attend Central Michigan University to receive a degree in Elementary Education.
How YAC Impacted Me: YAC gave me the opportunity to improve my teamwork abilities as well as my ability to make decisions. It also opened my eyes to all of the different groups and organizations that are in my hometown.
- Tessa Felker
Name: Tessa Felker
Years of YAC Service: 1
County: Antrim
Post-Grad Plans: Attending University of Michigan
How YAC Impacted Me: It helped me feel more connected to my community and opened up a future desire to assist philanthropic organizations.
- Ella Fournier
Name: Ella Fournier
Years of YAC Service: 1
County: Grand Traverse
Post-Grad Plans: I will be attending Indiana University Bloomington to major in Sports Management and Marketing and I will be a part of their honors college.
How YAC Impacted Me: Being a part of YAC allowed me to get involved and help my community in a way unlike any other. I was able to get first-hand experience with organizations that are bettering my community.
- Jürgen Griswold
Name: Jürgen Griswold
Years of YAC Service: 4 (includes service on the YAC Leadership Team)
County: Antrim
Post-Grad Plans: I will be attending Tulane University in New Orleans, Louisiana.
How YAC Impacted Me: It allowed me to see the needed elements in the community I live while also letting me see the organizations that are supporting the people in need. Being a part of YAC also connected me to a great network of people who like me are trying to better the community.
- Margot Hagerty
Name: Margot Hagerty
Years of YAC Service: 2
County: Grand Traverse
Post-Grad Plans: I will attend the University of Michigan.
How YAC Impacted Me: I loved serving my community in different ways and meeting new YAC members.
- Ellis Larsen
Name: Ellis Larsen
Years of YAC Service: 4
County: Benzie
Post-Grad Plans: I will attend the University of Michigan to study Materials Science Engineering, and I will continue my leathercrafting business, The Classical Craftsman.
How YAC Impacted Me: Being a member of YAC made me even more involved with the community and allowed me to give back to the area. I learned about and was able to support the new and upcoming projects around me.
- Eva Lawson
Name: Eva Lawson
Years of YAC Service: 2 (includes service on the YAC Leadership Team)
County: Grand Traverse
Post-Grad Plans: To attend the University of Michigan to study biochemistry
How YAC Impacted Me: Allowed me to see how an entire community works together in order to better society and that is something I believe is truly amazing about people.
- Mallory Lowe
Name: Mallory Lowe
Years of YAC Service: 4 (includes service on the YAC Leadership Team)
County: Leelanau
Post-Grad Plans: I plan to attend the University of Michigan.
How YAC Impacted Me: YAC impacted me by helping me make informed decisions to benefit the community.
- Mary-Katherine MacRAE
Name: Mary-Katherine MacRAE
Years of YAC Service: 3 (includes service on the YAC Leadership Team)
County: Benzie
Post-Grad Plans: I plan on attending Northwestern Michigan College to pursue a career in nursing.
How YAC Impacted Me: Being a part of YAC made me aware of how many organizations are out there and willing to help improve a person's life.
- Ella Kirkwood
Name: Ella Kirkwood
Years of YAC Service: 2
County: Grand Traverse
Post-Grad Plans: I am attending Williams College.
How YAC Impacted Me: I have loved being able to support important community causes by discussing and distributing grant money.
- Camden Moore
Name: Camden Moore
Years of YAC Service: 2
County: Kalkaska
Post-Grad Plans: Attend Western Michigan University and become a pilot.
How YAC Impacted Me: Being a part of YAC impacted me because it taught me how to work well within a group. I enjoyed deliberating with my peers on what organizations to fund.
- Annie Ponstein
Name: Annie Ponstein
Years of YAC Service: 1
County: Kalkaska
Post-Grad Plans: I’m going to Aquinas College to play softball and continue my education to become a teacher. After college I plan on coming back to Kalkaska and teaching and coaching softball.
How YAC Impacted Me: It showed me how to make big decisions based on what resources we have.
- Amabel Schwaiger
Name: Amabel Schwaiger
Years of YAC Service: 1
County: Leelanau
Post-Grad Plans: I will be attending Washington University in St. Louis. I will be studying arts and sciences.
How YAC Impacted Me: Being a part of YAC was a very positive experience and it reminded me how important it is to use your influence to benefit others. I believe that YAC has a benefit for both the student and their community. It was also humbling knowing that our small group was making decisions that could have impacts beyond what we could see. I hope more young people join YAC because YAC’s impact depends on the diversity and collaboration of a larger student group.
- Mia Silveri
Name: Mia Silveri
Years of YAC Service: 1
County: Grand Traverse
Post-Grad Plans: I’m attending the University of Michigan to major in Business and Dance.
How YAC Impacted Me: It allowed me to be more connected with my community and support the community through voicing my opinion on where grant funds should go.
- Lauren Tkach
Name: Lauren Tkach
Years of YAC Service: 3
County: Grand Traverse
Post-Grad Plans: Study international business and pre-law at Loyola University Chicago
How YAC Impacted Me: It brought me closer to my community, opened doors to new opportunities (especially the Youth Wellness Initiative), and introduced me to many of the incredible nonprofits in our area.
- Adam Williams
Name: Adam Williams
Years of YAC Service: 3 (includes service on the YAC Leadership Team)
County: Kalkaska
Post-Grad Plans: Attending Central Michigan University’s Pre-Dental program.
How YAC Impacted Me: It helped me learn how to lead, and how to work as one collaborative unit.
Our other recently graduated YAC seniors include: Brenna Baldwin, Hayden Davis, Nora Madion, Grant Miller, Bobbie Paalman, Audrey Parker, Patrick Puroll, Mason Romanowski, Isabel Seymour (YAC Leadership Team Member), Ava Shotwell, Leah Simetz, Leighanna Smith, Liberty Smith, Nayelly Tapia