The Delaware Community Center YMCA is pleased to announce two Delaware Hayes High School students — Gretchen Esterly and Josie Morrow — were selected to participate in the national YMCA Changemaker Project.”

The Changemaker Project invites youth throughout the United States to look at a critical issue or need in their local community and address the issue. Esterly and Morrow looked at their community needs within their school and developed the Hayes Period Project.

Esterly and Morrow learned some students were in need of menstrual products and education surrounding women’s health. Through reaching out to nonprofits around Delaware County and Aunt Flow, they were able to install products into specific ladies’ rooms and keep them supplied as well as meet about women’s health. Esterly and Morrow’s data showed the correlation between the availability of menstrual products to successful graduation and a successful future.

The Hayes Period Project was one of 30 projects selected to attend the Changemaker Project in Washington, D.C. in June. While there, Esterly and Morrow presented their project two times to different youth in government committees. Between the presentations, they were able to tour Washington and meet with U.S. Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH) to discuss the needs of our community.

The Hayes Period Project was selected in the top six projects by the youth in government committees and then the top three by the other competitors. Each project selected in the top three received $5,000 to help with the development of the project.

Submitted by the Delaware Community Center YMCA.