The DeKalb County Community Foundation is honored to announce the creation of the YEP Changemakers Scholarship Fund, established by Foundation Board member Brenda Jergens and her family. This support is made in memory of Kurt D. Hudson, honoring his memory and the values he believed in. The new Fund provides long-term support for the annual YEP Changemakers Scholarship, which has recognized Youth Engaged in Philanthropy members since 2022 who demonstrate leadership, service, and a commitment to strengthening their communities.

Brenda Jergens poses with her daughter, Kristina Clausen.

Brenda was born and raised in Sycamore and has been a Malta resident for nearly 40 years. She has been part of the community her entire life, spending 35 years working for DeKalb Community Unit School District 428. She is also a long-time supporter of YEP and serves as a Board advisor to the program, where she has seen firsthand how the experience empowers students.

Brenda shared her belief in the long-term impact YEP has on local youth. “YEP allows students to be trusted with real decisions and real dollars. They learn responsibility, confidence, and what it means to make a difference,” she said. “My hope is that every recipient becomes a changemaker wherever they go.”

The one-time, $1,000 YEP Changemakers Scholarship is awarded annually to a graduating senior member of YEP who exemplifies the values of youth philanthropy. The award may be used for tuition or educational expenses at an accredited university or college, community college, or trade school.

The YEP Changemakers Scholarship was first created in 2022 by YEP member Oliver Keicher, who raised one thousand dollars during Give DeKalb County to fund the inaugural 2023 award. His idea was to give YEP members an opportunity to experience the receiving side of philanthropy and to recognize students who embody what they have learned through their YEP experience.

“The YEP program builds a core pillar of philanthropy into excited and engaged youth in DeKalb County,” said Oliver Keicher, YEP alum (’23). “What these students learn through hands-on grantmaking stays with them as they enter new communities after high school, shaping a lasting habit of giving back wherever they go. I am honored to support these students as they carry YEP’s values and lessons into the world.”

The scholarship recipient is announced each May during the final YEP meeting of the school year.

YEP Manager Kyle White added, “We hear from graduates all the time that the YEP experience stays with them for good. The YEP Changemakers Scholarship is one way we continue to support students as they move into the next chapter of their lives. It is no surprise that this scholarship comes from Brenda Jergens and her family. Brenda is a generous mentor, advisor, and advocate for students in YEP.”

Gifts of any size are welcome to grow the impact of the YEP Changemakers Scholarship Fund. To learn more about creating your own named Fund or to discuss your charitable interests, contact Foundation Executive Director Dan Templin at 815-748-5383 or dan@dekalbccf.org.