CFOC Announces ‘Student Voices, Student Choices’ Presentations, Awards Ceremony

SPRINGFIELD—Encouraging philanthropy throughout Otsego County is a major goal for the Community Foundation of Otsego County.

Officials say they help spark that interest by engaging youth through a program for Otsego County high-school students designed to sharpen students’ focus on local needs and issues, and encourage them to become community leaders.

On Monday, November 24 from 7-9:30 p.m., CFOC will host the 2025 “Student Voices, Student Choices” Presentation and Awards at Hartwick College’s Slade Theater, located on the fourth floor of Yager Hall. Admission is free and open to the public.

Through the Student Voices, Student Choices initiative, teams of students and advisors identify community needs, research organizations and opportunities related to those needs, then formulate a plan to address them. On November 24, students will present their ideas to an audience and a panel of local leaders and educators, which will then select the best plan and presentation.

In 2022, year one of the program, four teams from high schools in Cherry Valley-Springfield, Edmeston, Gilbertsville-Mount Upton, and Richfield Springs took part. In 2023 and 2024, more schools were added: Cooperstown, Laurens, Morris, Milford, Oneonta, Schenevus, Unatego, and Worcester. Every Otsego County public school has now participated, CFOC officials said in a press release.

Otsego Christian Academy joins Cherry Valley-Springfield, Edmeston, Milford, Morris and Unatego as the six schools competing this year.

“Student Voices, Student Choices is an exciting event, and the participating students, school superintendents and principals, and faculty advisors are always enthusiastic, letting us know that their participation led to positive change in their communities,” said CFOC Executive Director Jeff Katz.

“It is not simply an academic exercise; in the first three years, CFOC awarded $41,000.00 toward the student projects. Everyone wins—students, communities, schools and Otsego County. Simply by participating in Student Voices, Student Choices, each student made an impact on their community,” he explained.

Katz invited the public to “attend and share in the pleasure of seeing local high-school students as they propose innovative ways to improve Otsego County.”