Since its beginnings in 1990 as a pilot program of the Northland Foundation, KIDS PLUS has worked to increase opportunities for Cook County youth. Now, the Cook County KIDS PLUS is one of 26 KIDS PLUS organizations in northeastern Minnesota, all focused on connecting local youth with community adults to help youth build important life skills.
The local organization grew out of a series of meetings with youth, parents and community leaders led by Deb White, who served as local coordinator during KIDS PLUS’s early days.
“The idea was to help the community better recognize the value of its youth,” said White. “We wanted to bring together various members of the community, include the ministerium, businesses, and governments, to give youth opportunities to more fully participate in the community, such as serving on boards.”
Those meetings also invited youth to express what they wanted from their community. Some of the things then on the youth’s wish list, such as a shopping mall, have yet to be realized, said White, but many, including a hockey rink, more theatre opportunities and a skate park did become realities.
In the beginning, KIDS PLUS piggybacked off of existing youth programs, such as the teen center in downtown Grand Marais overseen by Arvis Thompson, said White. The organization worked to create social activities such as a sixth grade dance and bringing youth to the annual KIDS PLUS convention in Duluth. Eventually, KIDS PLUS became a 501(c)3 nonprofit.
The organization went through a hiatus from 1998 – 2002, said current KIDS PLUS board member Diane Booth. During her time as Community Education director, Booth merged the U of M Extension’s 4-H program, Cook County Community Education youth programs and KIDS PLUS. This move pooled resources and created one board to oversee all youth programming, which are now all run through Community Education. It also created a Cook County youth coordinator position, currently held by Melissa Wickwyer.
“This new model has been in place for nine years and has worked well to support our youth,” Booth said.
Since 2009, an Americorps volunteer, currently Sarah Stover, also has assisted with the county’s youth programs.
Those programs are focused primarily on youth ages 9-15, but programs exist for kids from kindergarten age all the way through high school. Programs include after-school lounges, youth enrichment programs, tutoring, summer kids camps and Middle School Student Council.
“There’s a lot of fluidity to the programs,” said Booth. “It changes based on kids' and parents’ needs.”
Another KIDS PLUS program, the Incredible Exchange, helps youth ages 11-14 build leadership skills by volunteering with adult mentors in local government offices and nonprofits. The program, underwritten by the Cook County Board, awards youth with a $4 credit for each hour they volunteer. That credit can then be used to purchase a ski pass, art classes, music lessons and other cultural and recreational activities.
Three annual fundraisers support the KIDS PLUS program. The main fundraiser, said Booth, is the KIDS PLUS card which provides year-round discounts at local businesses. KIDS PLUS cards can be purchased for $15 at Blue Water Café, Cook County Community Center, Crystal’s Log Cabin Quilts, Grand Marais Pharmacy, Great Gifts, Holiday Stores, Johnson’s Foods, Joynes Ben Franklin, Pie Place, Stone Harbor Wilderness Supply, Superior North Outdoor Center, White Pine North and the Grand Marais Municipal Pool.
When funding is available, KIDS PLUS itself makes small grants for youth programming in the community.
For more information, call Booth at 218-387-3015.