The Putnam County Community Foundation is proud to congratulate Genevieve Jennings, the winner of the 2025 Darrell Wiatt Family Philanthropy Essay Contest.
Jennings is a seventh-grade student at North Putnam Middle School.
In recognition of Jennings’s accomplishment, she selected the Roachdale Christian Church Food Pantry to receive a $150 grant. Additionally, North Putnam Middle School will receive a $500 grant. Her essay highlighted the philanthropic work of Marilyn Winters. Jennings’s essay can be read in its entirety here.
The Darrell Wiatt Family Philanthropy Essay Contest was established in 2006 by Darrell Wiatt, a passionate community member and former educator at the North Putnam Community School Corporation. Through the program, the Community Foundation hopes to recognize a few of the everyday philanthropists in Putnam County and to ensure that no child will graduate from high school without knowing the meaning of the word “philanthropy.”
Entries were accepted from seventh-grade students throughout the county. Students were instructed to write a 500-word essay about “The Philanthropist I Know Personally and Admire the Most.” The essays were reviewed by the Putnam County Youth Philanthropy Committee and scored on criteria such as spelling, grammar, organization, content of essay, and understanding of philanthropy.
Eight finalists were chosen from the participating middle schools in Putnam County. Each finalist had the opportunity to designate a local organization to receive a Finalist Grant Award.
Sofia Crossett, a student at Cloverdale Middle School, chose the Creekside Animal Rescue (Roachdale) to receive a Finalist Grant Award in honor of her philanthropists, Steve and Niki St. Pierre.
Eden Parrish, a student at Cloverdale Middle School, chose Cloverdale Community Youth League to receive a Finalist Grant Award in honor of her grandmother, Lori Pieper.
Marley Jedele, a student at Greencastle Middle School, chose the Humane Society of Putnam County to receive a Finalist Grant Award. The philanthropist she admires most is her mother, Kara Jedele.
Luke Miller, a student at Greencastle Middle School, wrote about his mother, Carol Miller, and selected Kids Hope to receive a Finalist Grant Award in her honor.
Abagail Rogers, a student at North Putnam Middle School, wrote about her grandfather, Robert Padgett. She chose to support Isaiah 1:17 House with her Finalist Grant Award.
Ethan Cash, a student at South Putnam Middle School, chose Isaiah 1:17 House to receive a Finalist Grant Award. His philanthropist is his family’s business, Cash Concrete.
A.J. Weddle, a student at South Putnam Middle School, chose Isaiah 1:17 House to receive a Finalist Grant Award in honor of his father, Travis Weddle.
These grants are made from the Darrell Wiatt Family Philanthropy Essay Contest Endowment, which was established in 2012 by the Wiatt Family to promote philanthropic education and award grants for the essay contest.
