Each year, Oakwood High School students take part in the Philanthropy 101 project as part of the Wall Street 101 course. Through this immersive experience, students select local nonprofit organizations for in-depth research and analysis. The project is led by teacher Natalie Johnston in partnership with the Oakwood Schools Foundation (OSF) and is designed to connect classroom learning with real-world community impact.
As part of the project, representatives from student-selected nonprofits visit the classroom to introduce their organizations, share their missions, and engage in thoughtful discussions with students. In the weeks that follow, students research and visit these organizations to gain firsthand experience and a deeper understanding of the challenges and opportunities nonprofits face. These experiences culminate in final presentations in which students share their findings and recommendations with a panel of community judges.
This program, made possible through the generosity of the Oakwood Schools Foundation’s Philanthropy Ambassadors and Philanthropy 101 donors, awarded a record-setting $8,000 to four local student-selected organizations: The Dayton Dream Center, Kids In New Directions, Special Olympics Ohio, and Target Dayton Ministries. While all participating students demonstrated exceptional research, engagement, and presentation skills, the groups representing Special Olympics Ohio and Target Dayton Ministries earned the highest scores from OSF judges. As a result, Special Olympics
Ohio received a $2,000 award, and Target Dayton Ministries received a $2,500 award in recognition of their outstanding work.
Students from these groups, along with nonprofit representatives and Oakwood Schools Foundation trustees, were recognized at the February 9 School Board meeting. During the meeting, awards were presented and the collective impact of the students’ efforts was celebrated, highlighting the positive contributions being made throughout the Dayton area.
The Oakwood Schools Foundation extends its sincere gratitude to its donors for their continued financial support, which plays a vital role in the success of the Philanthropy 101 program. Donor contributions not only sustain the program’s structure and operations but also directly determine the level of funding available to participating nonprofits. By supporting Philanthropy 101, donors help cultivate the next generation of informed, engaged philanthropists while simultaneously benefiting local charities.