Last month, high school students from Minden, Bertrand, Spencer, Ravenna, McCook and Hebron gathered in downtown Kearney for a full day of connection and community-building. Alongside them were adults from their hometowns’ local Nebraska Community Foundation (nebcommfound.com) affiliated funds. They had come together for the 2026 Youth Connection Summit, an event designed to encourage high school students from across the state to discover their potential to create positive change in their hometowns.
During a walking tour of downtown Kearney, attendees put on their “curiosity glasses” to identify three things: something they liked, something they loved and something they found intriguing. Later, they turned their investigations toward their own communities. Together, the students listed their places’ assets and shared their hometown dreams.
As the day came to an end, the students reported their dreams with the group at large. Among those dreams were an activity center, more town gatherings, a centrally located school building, community beautification and more. They discussed how to talk to their neighbors about their projects and how to build consensus to make dreams reality.
Before adjourning, NCF’s Director of Asset-Based Community Development Becky Boesen and Youth Engagement Specialist Chloe Carlson announced that each affiliated fund present at the summit would be eligible for Youth Connection Experiment grants. If students identify a project, NCF will grant up to $10,000, so long as the community provides a 1:1 match.
For more information, please visit nebcommfound.com.