ROBERT PIERCE
• Leader & Times
Local students are taking the lead in building healthier school communities thanks to Be the Spark grants funded by Blue Cross Blue Shield of Kansas and awarded to 20 Kansas Association for Youth (KAY) Clubs across the state.
Grant recipients were announced in mid-April during a special event hosted at the Kansas State High School Activities Association in Topeka.
The Be the Spark program empowers student leaders to design and carry out wellness-focused projects that inspire their peers to be more physically active and support their mental ell-being.
From building outdoor classrooms to pickleball courts to sensory rooms and mental and physical well-being programs, these projects are created by students for students.
Two area schools, Satanta High School and Meade High School, were among the KAY Clubs to receive grants, and Satanta KAY Club Advisor Crystal Naylor said the club is primarily focused on leadership, character building and community outreach.
SHS received $3,000 to spend to promote physical health and recreation in USD 507 schools.
“We applied for the grant so we can have new ping pong tables in our cafeteria area so there is open availability for physical activities during breaks,” Naylor said.
The money Satanta High School received, Naylor said, will provide a substantial amount of help.
“The monies they provided us will allow us to make a safe space for those kids to work on socializing without devices, as well as physical activity and camaraderie,” she said. “We had also put in how there might be some competition aspects of it as well as making sure there’s fair use for everyone involved. With the Be the Spark grant, we’re able to make it happen.”
Satanta’s KAY Club also provides meals for the school’s out-of-town activities, particularly sports-based activities.
“This season is track, softball and baseball, so when they travel away, we want to make sure they have nutrition and food so they can perform at their best,” Naylor said. “Not everyone is able to have food security, so we want to make sure everyone has fuel so they can perform their best for their activities. A lot of the money we get as a club goes toward that, and any other opportunity we get goes toward other activities.”
May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and as the current school year draws to a close, Naylor said her students were building up for activities based on mental health and wellness. Part of this included the purchase of pamphlets and KAY Club members participating in last weekend’s Satanta Days parade.
“Several of those things we’re doing require some funds, but we also want to make sure our community’s getting the support they need,” Naylor said. “With the Be the Spark grant, we’re able to make that happen. We were excited we were chosen to receive the grant, and the kids were really excited about moving forward and getting things started for the next school year.”
Receiving the Be the Spark grant, Naylor said, means a lot for USD 507.
“It shows my students who are in clubs how we are working toward the right things, we are taking a step in the right direction, and there are people out there who support us and what we’re doing,” she said. “We’re grateful for everything that’s been donated and granted to us so we can help our community and everyone else as well.”
With leadership and character building as its primary focus, Naylor said Satanta’s KAY Club is sending students to camp to give them more leadership opportunities and training. She added having the Be the Spark grant has let district officials know they have done well in their job, and as they continue to make progress, they will be supported with grants such as those from BCBSKS.
Naylor said her students are excited about the grant and the opportunities they will have this summer.
“I have seven students going to camp this summer, and they’re really excited about going to learn more about leadership and what they can do for our community and our school,” she said.
Originally launched in 2017 through a partnership between BCBSKS and the KAY Alumni Network (KAYAN), the Be the Spark program gives students the tools and funding to bring their big ideas to life. The partnership reinforces the Blue Cross commitment to improving health and well-being for all Kansans.
“Be the Spark grants are more than just funding – they’re about believing in young people and the power they have to lead real change,” BCBSKS Director of Blue Health Initiatives Virginia Barnes said. “These students are proving creating healthier communities doesn’t have to start with adults. It can start with kids who care and want to make a difference.”
Students went through a rigorous application process – submitting letters of intent, surveying their student bodies, partnering with community organizations and developing thoughtful, sustainable plans to improve school health.
“Thanks to the generous support of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Kansas, KAY Clubs across the state are empowered to lead meaningful mental and physical initiatives within their schools and/or communities,” KSHSAA Assistant Executive Director and KAY State Director Sarah Smith said. “Through this grant opportunity, student leaders identify needs, apply for funding and bring their ideas to life – creating lasting impact on the well-being of their peers, schools and communities.”
Whether improving existing spaces or creating new ones, all the selected projects center on one goal: helping teens get active and feel their best.
“It is truly inspiring to witness the passion of these KAY Club members as they develop sustainable plans to improve the physical and mental health of their peers and communities,” Be the Spark Project Coordinator Katlin Bryan said. “These students have chosen to dedicate their time and energy to something greater than themselves – and that kind of commitment is powerful.”
