By Traci Newell

Roy Lave/special to the town crier At left, Sahil Luthra, Youth Venture Philanthropy Board secretary, answers questions from community leaders at the kickoff reception at the Los Altos Community House. Other board members, from left, Shefali Luthra, Rachel Plasterer, Michelle Arra, Diana Chou and Alison Palmintere, presented information regarding the board’s cause.

New to Los Altos, the Youth Venture Philanthropy Board is already hard at work to make a difference in the lives of youths.

Los Altos Mayor Ron Packard, councilmembers and Los Altos Educational Foundation members were on hand as six young Los Altans introduced themselves to the community Sept. 25 at the Los Altos Community House and explained the goal of their board is to oversee youth philanthropy projects.

The Los Altos Community Foundation will fund the philanthropy board with money from the David and Lucile Packard Foundation earmarked for youth services. The board has received $10,000 for youth programs.

“The board identifies what youth programs they would like to see succeed,” said Scott Riches, one of the advisers. “I think it’s a great learning and service opportunity for them.”

The students, Rachel Plasterer and Michelle Arra, St. Nicholas; Diana Chou, Sahil Luthra and Shefali Luthra, Los Altos High School; and Alison Palmintere, Pinewood, are scheduled to meet every other Monday night to discuss how to allocate the money and strengthen local philanthropy projects.

The board is searching for four to five additional members. Candidates must be Los Altos residents or students in seventh through eleventh grades in Los Altos schools. Service on the board is a two-year commitment, the first year as an active board member and the second year as an adviser.

“I’m going to save the world someday,” said Palmintere, the board vice president. “This just seems like a good start.”

Chou, the board president, said the group looks forward to hearing from local philanthropists. Nancy Lippe, board adviser, said the group has recruited local philanthropists including Nancy Glaze from the Packard Foundation, Gay Krause from the Krause Foundation, Steve Kirsch of the Kirsch Foundation and Kathy Levinson, former E*Trade CEO, to share their experiences in a one-hour workshop for the board.

“I wanted to feel like I was helping the community and giving back to a town that has helped me grow,” Plasterer said. “I want my friends and family to be able to enjoy the great town we live in.”

Nancy Benjamin, Los Altos High School parent and management consultant, Riches, principal of Pinewood Middle Campus, and Lippe, director of the youth philanthropy program, will be board advisers. Although the advisers will oversee the board’s progress, the students will provide the ideas and make the decisions.

“I have lived in Los Altos my entire life and I did not feel like I was helping enough,” Arra said. “The philanthropy team has given my community a purpose.”

Riches said the board is still in its beginning stages, focusing on becoming educated in philanthropy and grant proposals.

“Much of the first year will be service-oriented and defining organizations that need help,” Riches said. “They are very passionate about service and giving back to the community.”

In coming years, the board hopes to regenerate funds through the Los Altos Community Foundation or from other local contributors.