Teens United for McLean County

The Teens United for McLean County Program was established in 2006 as a way to engage high school juniors and seniors in their community and provide exposure to the work of United Way of McLean County. The students are chosen by their principals to represent their schools and attend monthly meetings over the lunch hour. The first two years of the Teen Program focused on making funding recommendations for direct service programs that addressed specific community needs. The 2008-2009 Program was more strategically aligned with United Way’s mission and the Education Pillar.

The 2008-2009 Teens United for McLean County Program targeted early childhood learning for its focus area. The Teens identified an opportunity to leverage the United Way of America’s Born Learning public engagement campaign, which promotes everyday moments as learning opportunities, by installing a Born Learning Trail at a local park and holding a launch event for the community. The Teens established three committees to better address the work required for this project: the Installation Committee, the Promotions Committee, and the Launch Event Committee. These committees meet at least once per month on Saturdays and over school breaks.

The Installation Committee was responsible for recommending the location for the Born Learning Trail, preparing written documentation to be included in this proposal, presenting our recommendation at a Town Council meeting, working with Town employees to coordinate and install signs, and painting stencils on Trail. The members of the 2008-2009 Installation Committee were:

• T.J. Bogar (Jr.), Normal Community High School
• Michael Kraft (Jr.), Central Catholic High School
• Dominique Lawson (Jr.), Normal Community West High School
• Divya Mani (Sr.), Normal Community High School
• Armand Ontiveros (Jr.), Bloomington High School
• Grant Pestka (Jr.), Lexington High School

The Event Committee was responsible for developing a launch event at the Born Learning Trail site, preparing a written event outline to be included in this proposal, identifying and securing donated refreshments and entertainment, identifying event attendees and determining how to communicate the invitation to them, coordinating the distribution of free books to children attending event, identifying Born Learning materials to be distributed at event, recruiting and coordinating volunteers to work at the event, and running launch event. The members of the 2008-2009 Event Committee were:

• Sydney Bland (Jr.), LeRoy High School
• Ivy Craig (Sr.), Olympia High School
• Tanner Israel (Sr.), Olympia High School
• Jennifer Koth (Sr.), University High School
• Kali Lewis (Soph.), Central Catholic High School
• Andrew Schultz (Jr.), Heyworth High School
• Stephanie Schwingle (Jr.), University High School
• Samantha Thompson (Sr.), Heyworth High School

The Promotions Committee was responsible for promoting the Trail installation and launch event, preparing a written outline of the promotions plan to be included in this proposal, developing a book drive event for schools to collect age appropriate books that will be given out at launch event, developing written media alerts and press releases, developing Born Learning Trail media kits, communicating with local media, coordinating attendance of special guests at event, and preparing speaking points for United Way of McLean County presenters at event. The members of the 2008-2009 Promotions Committee were:

• Christian Baker (Sr.), Normal Community West High School
• Allison Brown (Sr.), Lexington High School
• Kirsti Clawson (Sr.), LeRoy High School
• Hilary Dirks (Sr.), Bloomington High School

The 2008-2009 Teens United for McLean County was led by United Way of McLean County staff members Sarah Coffer, Vice President, and Whitney Fryer, Executive Assistant.

Born Learning Trail


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The Born Learning Trail is a fun, easy way for parents, grandparents and caregivers to utilize an outing in the park to develop skills critical for school readiness. The Trail is a concrete path that has a series of signs with educational activities placed along the way. A Welcome Sign is placed at each trailhead as an introduction to the Born Learning Trail. There are nine learning activity signs with fun and easy activities for children and adults to do together. The Trail is located in Anderson Park just south of the tennis courts on the east side of Sugar Creek. The Born Learning Trail is made possible through a partnership between Teens United for McLean County, United Way of McLean County and the Town of Normal.

On Saturday, May 16, 2009, Teens United for McLean County held a launch event for the Born Learning Trail at Anderson Park in Normal, Illinois. More than 100 local high school students volunteered to work at the event. Opening Ceremonies for the event included music by the Bloomington High School drum line, speeches by Sarah Coffer, Vice President at United Way of McLean County, Ivy Craig, a senior at Olympia High School representing the Teens United members, Mark Peterson, City Manager for the Town of Normal, and Normal Mayor Chris Koos. The Ceremony concluded with the official ribbon cutting by the Teens members.

Event attendees took a stroll along the Trail and experienced the educational activities featured on each sign. Local high school volunteers were stationed at each sign to explain the activities. Family-friendly activities including face painting, tattoos, and complimentary drinks were stationed under a big tent. Children under five years were given free books and parents were given copies of Born Learning parenting materials. Free balloons and LIVE UNITED t-shirts were also given to all attendees.

While the weather for the event was less than ideal, Teens United for McLean County was very pleased with the event and felt it successfully launch the first Born Learning Trail in McLean County!