Dwane L. Wallace Youth Venture Grant

The Dwane L. Wallace Youth Venture Grant invests in local youth programs to inspire future generations.

In 1990, Velma Lunt Wallace set up an endowment with United Way of the Plains to honor her late husband, Dwane L. Wallace, former head of Cessna Aircraft Company. Velma wanted to continue his support of the community in a way that would inspire young people to do the same.

The endowment annually funds the Dwane L. Wallace Youth Venture Grant. Each year, local teachers and schools are invited to submit proposals for programs that benefit local youth in a multitude of different ways.

Headshot of Velma Lunt Wallace.

2025 RECIPIENTS

United Way of the Plains invested $50,000 into school-based programs that uplift and empower local students.

  • Bus Bucks, USD 259 Wichita Public Schools – $7,000: Funds will be used to purchase books as incentives to support positive behavior on school buses for special education students, helping them navigate school transportation while promoting reading, safety, and belonging.
  • CMA Robotics, USD 259 Wichita Public Schools – $3,000: Funds will be used to purchase robotics components, tools, and spare parts to expand a middle school STEM program focused on problem-solving, teamwork, and leadership through competitive robotics.
  • Field Trips, USD 373 Newton Public Schools – $1,860: Funds will be used to pay for costs associated with field trips so all students at Santa Fe 5/6 Center School can participate without financial burden.
United Way presents a grant to a local school.
  • Fresh Fruit for Students, USD 439 Sedgwick Public Schools – $2,340: Funds will provide a large bowl of fresh fruit for all students to access throughout the day when hungry.
  • Head Start Nutritious Food and Meals, USD 373 Newton Public Schools –  $3,000: Funds will provide bagged take-home meals for pre-K students enrolled in the Cooper Early Education Center Head Start Program to ensure they do not go hungry over the weekend. 
  • MLGS Truancy Prevention Program, USD 254 Medicine Lodge Public Schools – $2,300: Funds will be used to support a truancy prevention program by purchasing rewards to celebrate individual and grade-level attendance goals.
  • Summer Enrichment Program, USD 358 Oxford Public Schools – $7,000: Funds will be used to combat summer learning loss and provide focused enrichment for students who need specific educational skills development over the summer.
  • Healthy Snacks for Students, USD 311 Pretty Prairie Public Schools – $7,000: Funds will support the offering of healthy snacks for students throughout the school day.
  • STEALTH After-School Program, USD 259 Wichita Public Schools – $7,500: Funds will support a cooking enrichment program at six schools as part of STEALTH, an after-school program that provides an active, engaging learning environment for students to explore their interests, gain new skills, and build strong, positive relationships.
  • Food Pantry, USD 262 Valley Center Public Schools – $7,000: Funds will help provide essential food and hygiene resources to students and their families in need, fostering a supportive school community.
  • Youth-Centric Mandarin Extension Program for Impactful Linguistic Education, The Independent School – $2,000: Funds will help purchase online learning resources, picture books, supplies and host cultural events to enrich the existing curriculum of Mandarin education.
Wichita Public Schools: Bus Bucks
Wichita Public Schools: STEALTH After-School Program
Medicine Lodge Public Schools: Truancy Prevention
Pretty Prairie Public Schools: Healthy Snacks

QUESTIONS?

Contact Logan Bradshaw, Director of Community Impact, at lbradshaw@unitedwayplains.org or (316) 267‑1321 ext. 4210.