YouthQuest Foundation Co-Founder and Vice President Allen Cage joined hundreds of students, parents and community leaders at Tuesday night’s Step Up Loudoun Youth Competition in Ashburn, Va.
“We’re proud to be part of this and I applaud each and every one of you,” he told the crowd. “You do great work and keep it up.”
Forty-six teams from middle schools and high schools in Loudoun County were judged on presentations about their projects to solve problems in their community.
Allen kicked off the evening by presenting a check for $2,450 to Loudoun Youth President and CEO Jared Melvin, noting that this is the third year YouthQuest has provided the prize money for the contest.
“We look forward to doing it again next year, too,” he added.
Before the event at the Loudoun County Public Schools Administration Building began, Allen spoke about YouthQuest with the contest judges, who represented a wide variety of area businesses and organizations.
“We’re all about the kids,” he said, explaining that the Foundation raises funds nationwide to support youth programs such as Step Up.
He talked about YouthQuest’s signature fundraiser, The Challenge at Trump National Golf Club, coming up in August and the Foundation’s plan to create a fabrication lab as part of the 3D ThinkLink Initiative.
Madeline O’Neill from Dominion High School won the $1,000 first prize for Special Needs Dream. Her project aims to increase community awareness of what people with special needs can contribute, and to provide educational and social events where families with special-needs children can connect.
The $500 second-place award went to the Happiness: Don’t Drink and Drive team.
Each of the three teams that tied for third place received $250. The prize for fourth through tenth place was $100.
Click here to see a full list of the winning teams.
Thank you for supporting the 2014 and upcoming 2015 Step Up Loudoun Youth Competition!