LEELANAU COUNTY— Leelanau Investing For Teens, a nonprofit organization known as LIFT, is providing after-school programming and support services to students in rural Leelanau County. The initiative serves students within Leelanau County Public Schools to help them discover local resources.
The program focuses on connecting students in rural areas with the support they need while teaching them about the surrounding region. LIFT is a nonprofit that relies on community donations to fund its activities and continued outreach.
Emily Alt, the LIFT program coordinator for Northport Public Schools, helps manage the various activities offered to local youth. Alt said the organization prioritizes keeping students engaged with their own neighborhoods. “We’re trying not to necessarily take kids out of their communities too much,” Alt said. “The idea is to let kids see how many cool things there are in this community.”
The activities include a mix of local farm visits and trips to nearby urban centers. Alt noted that students might visit Highland cows at a ranch in Lake Leelanau or participate in rock climbing at Elevate in Traverse City.