Youth As Resources, Funded by United Way of Kenosha County, Welcomes New Board Members, Accepts Service Award Applications

Nov 12, 2022 | Business

 United Way of Kenosha County (UWKC), mobilizing the caring power of our community, is excited to kickoff Youth As Resources (YAR) for the ’22-’23 funding cycle. YAR is a youth-led funding organization that grants annual awards to youth-designed community service projects in Kenosha County. YAR empowers youth to speak up for and address community needs.

This year’s YAR board members include nine youth members, representing grades 9-12 from across 8 local schools and two adult board members (ABM) with all executive officer positions being filled by student members. The program fosters complete youth involvement, including leading the approved service projects and reviewing and allocating grant funds. The current board members are:

Abbey Proctor Home Instruction, Grade 12 President

Lauren Palmieri St. Joseph Academy, Grade 11 Vice President

Jovan Joseph Logos Online School, Grade 9 Treasurer

Ella Sager Westosha Central, Grade 10 Secretary

Alison Voss Zion-Benton Township High School Parliamentarian (ABM)

Hera First Harborside Academy, Grade 10 Endowment Committee

Jacob Krumrie St. Joseph Academy, Grade 10 Endowment Committee

Madelynn Drissel Paris Consolidated, Grade 9

Tess Callahan Tremper High School, Grade 11

Nina Lall Bradford High School, Grade 11

Alejandria Galarza Kenosha Public Library (ABM)

Currently, YAR is accepting applications for youth-designed community service projects. Local youth in grades K-12 are encouraged to apply to receive up to $500 to complete their project. The deadline for students to apply for a YAR grant is on Tuesday, November 8th.

Last year, YAR, in conjunction with United Way of Kenosha County, and in partnership with University of Wisconsin-Madison Division of Extension, awarded roughly five thousand dollars in funding towards 14 youth-led service projects. Previous youth service projects include Brass Community School Cleanups, Cub Scouts ELCA Winter Clothing Support, Southport Elementary Veterans Parade, Mahone Middle School Butterfly Garden, and many more.

“I am excited to begin my third year on the YAR Board as I continue to develop my leadership skills in my role as President, says Abbey Proctor, YAR President and twelfth grade student. “This year, the Board welcomed several new members who I know will have the same wonderful opportunity to grow in leadership and who will be able to bring new perspectives and goals to the program. We cannot wait to see what community service ideas the youth of Kenosha County come up with and present to the Board this year!”

Youth as Resources is made possible by a partnership between United Way of Kenosha County and University of Wisconsin-Madison Division of Extension.

“Youth As Resources is an incredible opportunity for youth in our community to develop their skills while making a difference in the areas important to them,” says Erica Ness, positive youth development educator, at Extension Kenosha County. “This program is proof that youth are both our present and our future. They are ready to step up and lead now, and I am proud to coordinate a program that supports them to do so.”

“United Way of Kenosha County and University of Wisconsin-Madison Division of Extension are excited to once again be partnering with Youth as Resources to help bring student ideas to life,” says Carolynn Friesch, chief executive officer at UWKC. “We look forward to being a part of the impact empowered youth make in our community this year.”

YAR is also currently seeking to add new adult board members. Responsibilities include attending the YAR board meetings on the third Tuesday of each month (September through May, excluding December) and participating in the decision-making process for giving grant awards to youth designed service projects. Adult board members must also participate in committee work to encourage grant applications and increase awareness of the YAR Board in the community. Adult board members are expected to take the lead from youth board members while guiding them as they learn skills related to professionalism and board management.

For more information, to get a grant application, or to get involved, visit: kenosha.extension.wisc.edu/youth/yar or contact Erica Ness at erica.ness@wisc.edu. Additional pictures available upon request.

About UWKC

United Way of Kenosha County fights for the health, education, and financial stability of every person. For almost 100 years, UWKC has created positive change throughout Kenosha County by mobilizing the caring power of the community, improving lives, and striving for lasting, positive transformation. Through partnerships and collaborations, UWKC both supports local initiatives with an annual community investment process and manages programs such as Readers are Leaders, Volunteer Income Tax Assistance, SingleCare Prescription Discounts and more.

About YAR

Kenosha County Youth as Resources was developed out of a need – a need to make the youth of Kenosha County feel more connected to their community. YAR is youth-led board and a grant-giving program that funds youth-designed community service projects in Kenosha County. Youth, with guidance from adults, design projects to address a community need and apply to YAR grants, which are awarded up to $500 to fund supplies for the project. The Youth as Resources Board reads all applications, invites youth groups to present project proposals, and allocates funds. For more information, visit kenosha.extension.wisc.edu/youth/yar.

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Marisa Markowski

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Additional resources of Rs. 7,309 crore made available to States for undertaking power sector reforms

Jan 29, 2022 | Business


Department of Expenditure, Ministry of Finance has granted additional borrowing permission of Rs. 7,309 crore to two States for undertaking the stipulated reforms in power sector. While, Rajasthan has been allowed to borrow additional Rs. 5,186 crore, Andhra Pradesh has been allowed to borrow additional Rs. 2,123 crore as incentive to embark on the reform process.


Ministry of Finance, based on the recommendations of the Fifteenth Finance Commission, has decided to grant additional borrowing space of upto 0.5 percent of the Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) to the States every year for a four year  period from 2021-22 to 2024-25 based on reform undertaken by the States in the power sector. This was announced by the Finance Minister in the Budget speech of 2021-22. This will make available additional resources of more than Rs. 1 lakh crore every year to the States. The objectives of the additional borrowing permissions are to improve the operational and economic efficiency of the sector, and promote a sustained increase in paid electricity consumption.


In order to avail additional borrowing space linked to Power sector reforms, the State government has to undertake a set of mandatory reforms and also meet stipulated performance benchmarks. The reforms to be carried out by the States are –


  • Progressive assumption of responsibility for losses of public sector distribution companies (DISCOMs) by the State Government.

  • Transparency in the reporting of financial affairs of power sector including payment of subsidies and recording of liabilities of Governments to DISCOMs and of DISCOMs to others.

  • Timely rendition of financial and energy accounts and timely audit. 

  • Compliance with legal and regulatory requirements.


Once, the aforesaid reforms have been undertaken by the State, the performance of the State is evaluated on the basis of the following criteria to determine the eligibility for additional borrowing in 2021-22


  • Percentage of metered electricity consumption against total energy consumption including agricultural connections

  • Subsidy payment by Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) to consumers

  • Payment of Electricity bills by Government Departments and local bodies

  • Installation of prepaid meters in government office

  • Use of Innovations and Innovative technologies


In addition, States are also eligible for bonus marks for privatization of the power distribution companies.


The Ministry of Power is the nodal Ministry for assessment of performance of States and determining their eligibility for granting additional borrowing permission. Apart from Rajasthan and Andhra Pradesh, nine other States, namely Assam, Goa, Kerala, Manipur, Meghalaya, Odisha, Sikkim, Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh have also submitted their proposals to the Ministry of Power, which are under examination. Additional borrowing permission will be issued to eligible States on receipt of recommendation from the Ministry of Power.


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Joint Statement by Canada’s Minister of Natural Resources and the Saskatchewan Minister of Energy and Resources Following the Energy and Mines Ministers’ Conference

Feb 23, 2021 | International

Canada’s Minister of Natural Resources, the Honourable Seamus O’Regan Jr., and Saskatchewan’s Minister of Energy and Resources, the Honourable Bronwyn Eyre, today released the following joint statement on the 2021 Energy and Mines Ministers’ Conference:

We had the pleasure to meet virtually today with our provincial and territorial counterparts, as part of ongoing sessions ahead of the 2021 Energy and Mines Ministers’ Conference, which is currently planned for Saskatoon in September.

As governments across Canada continue to address the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic and focus on economic recovery, we are working together to support our natural resource sectors. 

These efforts have resulted in a number of new programs with three clear aims: to support jobs in the natural resource industries, advance innovative energy development and strengthen Canada’s competitiveness, including through reducing emissions and combating climate change.

In particular, we noted progress today on: investments to remediate inactive and orphan wells; funding the Targeted Geoscience Initiative and the Geo-mapping for the Energy and Minerals Program; and the new Emissions Reduction Fund, as well as direct support for workers in the oil and gas sector, including in Indigenous communities.

We also discussed the ongoing implementation and progress to date of key priorities that were identified at our last Energy and Mines Ministers’ Conference meeting. These include our work on small modular reactors, a Hydrogen Strategy and initiatives under the Canadian Minerals and Metals Plan. For this last initiative, a federal-provincial-territorial task team was established and is currently developing a Canadian critical minerals inventory to build an integrated, all-Canadian critical minerals and battery value chain.

We also discussed the long, successful tradition of collaboration between the United States and Canada, including in the areas of energy, mining and natural resources. The future of these sectors depends on a coordinated and successful approach to working with the new U.S. administration and on emphasizing the importance of energy infrastructure, including the more than 70 pipelines that cross our common border.

We look forward to building on our successes with our provincial and territorial counterparts as we work together to create a strong, sustainable energy future for Canada.