It’s never too late – or too early – to spread some joy.

Grace Westfall, of Zionsville, may be 11 years old but is already making a powerful impact in her community. As one of five 2025 Youth Power and Hope Award winners, Grace is just following her heart and her family values. Last year, her sister, Emma, was honored with the award, and the family continues to volunteer together, even as both girls discover their own favorite ways to give back.

Krista Westfall, Grace and Emma’s mother, said it started simply. As the girls grew, she and her husband, John, sought out volunteer opportunities they could all do together. Both girls were intentionally exposed to different walks of life. “We wanted them to understand that there are people who don’t have the same opportunities they do,” Krista said.

Grace, a creative and energetic student, balances her time between school, sports, and service. Volunteering is something she sees as fun, not a chore or obligation.

“It’s important to lift people up and treat them with kindness because you never know what challenges they are going through,” Grace said. That perspective has guided her service in the community, often with her family. From serving meals and running games for the fall festival at Wheeler Mission, to volunteering at the Indiana Diaper Bank, Indiana Humane Society, and a local food pantry, service is a regular part of family life.

That foundation has inspired Grace to seek out projects of her own. She raised money through a lemonade stand for Isaiah 117 House, which provides safe spaces for children who are removed from their homes. While there, she noticed a need for summer shoes, so she organized a flip flop drive. She also helped start “Kids Helping Kids” at her school, a club focused on fundraising projects for the organization.

The Youth Power and Hope Awards program was started in 2009 as a way for electric cooperatives to celebrate one of their founding principles – concern for community. 

Karlee Gable, youth and education specialist at Indiana Electric Cooperatives (the state trade association that organizes the awards), said, “The kids in our communities are our future. We need to encourage and inspire them. This award shows them they are making a difference and hard work pays off.”

For Grace, the award is a reminder that even small acts matter. “If you can help someone, it gives them courage for the day,” she said. And that belief is something she plans to carry forward, wherever her path leads next.

Learn more about the other 2025 Youth Power and Hope winners here.

By Juli Knutson