The Watson-Brown Foundation, Inc. supports historic preservation in part through its Junior Board of Trustees, a talented and dedicated group of seven to twelve high school students (10th-12th graders) whose exclusive mission is to preserve local history. This educational initiative fosters civic responsibility, heightens an appreciation for local history, and introduces students to the world of philanthropy. The Junior Board of Trustees awards $33,000 in grants annually to worthwhile historic preservation/restoration projects in Northeast Georgia. Members (and grant projects) can come from Banks, Barrow, Clarke, Franklin, Greene, Habersham, Hall, Hart, Jackson, Madison, Oconee, Oglethorpe, Stephens, and Walton Counties.

The mission of the Watson-Brown Foundation Junior Board of Trustees is to seek out and determine historic preservation opportunities in Northeast Georgia. These opportunities, aligned with education, include, but are not limited to, historic projects and organizations that will preserve the past for future generations.
 

Responsibilities

The Junior Board of Trustees devotes many hours to meetings, research, interviews, and site visits in the field of historic preservation and restoration in Northeast Georgia. It is the responsibility of each Junior Board member to become actively involved in the project nomination and grant decision process. A certain commitment is required of the members to remain on the Board, which includes, but is not limited to:

• regular attendance of pre-scheduled, once-a-month meetings (typically held on Wednesday evenings)

• grant project site visits (after school or on weekends in March-April)

• participation in planned field trip experiences once or twice per academic year.

However, this Board may never be used as an excuse for incomplete school assignments or absences from school. Once chosen for this prestigious Board, members may remain on the Board through the remainder of high school.

Any trips will be generally scheduled around school activities and will be paid for by the Watson-Brown Foundation, with the exception of each member’s personal spending money.

Applications for the 2024-2025 school year are available. For more information about this board, please check out this presentation. Applications are due on September 16, 2024 (extended from original September 13 deadline. Barrow County students may have until 11pm on September 17).

Dinner will be provided with all in-person meetings.

When applying, please be aware that the spring months are our busiest months, and will require some weekend or after school meetings with community members. Your attendance is also necessary at our training meetings, which typically happen one Wednesday evening a month. Attendance at our meetings is mandatory unless arranged in advance with the Junior Board Advisor for sports, other mandatory extracurriculars, illness, or deaths in the family.

If you have any questions or concerns, or would prefer a downloadable application, please contact Ashleigh Oatts, Advisor, by phone at (706) 369-3513, or by e-mail at aoatts@trrcobbhouse.org.

WBF Junior Board Grant Application forms are currently available for the 2023-2024 grant cycle! Applications are due February 23, 2024 (extended from the previous deadline!) We currently plan to offer virtual or in-person site visits. Virtual application submission is strongly encouraged. For more information about recent changes to the application, please read this.

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Ashleigh Oatts by phone at (706) 369-3513, or by e-mail at aoatts@trrcobbhouse.org.

The following organizations have received grant funding from the Athens Chapter of the Watson-Brown Foundation Junior Board of Trustees:

2022-2023
Jackson County Government (Jefferson, GA)— Archaeology
William Harris Homestead (Monroe, GA)— Log house repair & window work
Carter-Coile Country Doctors Museum (Winterville, GA)—HVAC system
Crawford W. Long Museum (Jefferson, GA)— Art restoration
Habersham Education & Research (Cornelia, GA)— Newspaper Digitization
Festival Hall (Greensboro, GA)— Painting Window Trim

2021-2022
William Harris Homestead (Monroe, GA)— Period appropriate hardware
Athens Masonic Hall (Athens, GA)—Roof repair
Jackson County Government (Jefferson, GA)— Archaeology
Carter-Coile Country Doctors Museum (Winterville, GA)— Collections storage
Historic Cobbham (Athens, GA)—Historic preservation plan

2020-2021
Monroe Museum (Monroe, GA)—Markers for unmarked graves at Zion Hill Cemetery
Historic Athens (Athens, GA)— St. James Cemetery Survey, Pt. 2
Festival Hall, Inc. (Greensboro, GA)— Floor repair and restoration
Jackson County Government (Jefferson, GA)— Archaeology
Crawford W. Long Museum (Jefferson, GA)— Collections inventory
William Harris Homestead (Monroe, GA)— Updated lighting and signage

2019-2020
Historical Society of Walton County (Monroe, GA)—Porch repair & painting for Davis-Edwards House
Lexington Historic Preservation Commission (Lexington, GA)—Historic Preservation Survey
Commerce Public Library (Commerce, GA)— Archival materials
Banks County Historical Society (Homer, GA)— Historic Jail repairs
Northeast Georgia History Center (Gainesville, GA)— Archival Room Catalog & Storage
William Harris Homestead (Monroe, GA)— Updated lighting

2018-2019
Jackson County Government (Jefferson, GA)—Historic Register Nomination Submission
Athens Clarke Heritage Foundation (Athens, GA)—St. James Cemetery Survey
Commerce Public Library (Commerce, GA)— Archival materials
Auburn Public Library (Auburn, GA)— Oral history supplies
Dawson Masonic Lodge #68 (Social Circle, GA)— Preservation of minute book
Hall County (Gainesville, GA)— Corn grinder for mill
Festival Hall, Inc. (Greensboro, GA)— Exterior Painting
Nuci Phillips Memorial Foundation (Athens, GA)— Replica windows and doors for St. Mary's Church Steeple

2017-2018
Jackson County Government (Jefferson, GA)—Archaeology surveying
Athens Clarke Heritage Foundation (Athens, GA)—Preservation Planning for Greater Bethel
TORCH of Hartwell (Hartwell, GA)— Depot Roof
Crawford W. Long Museum (Jefferson, GA)—Interior Painting
Hall County (Gainesville, GA)—Mill Restoration
William Harris Homestead (Monroe, GA)— Cleaning and Sealing Exterior of Structures
Historical Society of Walton County (Monroe, GA)—Historic Newspaper Conservation

2016-2017
Lexington Historic Preservation Commission (Lexington, GA)—HVAC System for Manse
Jackson County Government (Jefferson, GA)—Archaeology surveying
Junior League of Athens/ Taylor-Grady House (Athens, GA)—Furniture Restoration
Monroe Museum (Monroe, GA)—Storage and preservation materials
Winterville Historical Foundation (Winterville, GA)—HVAC System for Winterville Auditorium Restoration
Athens Land Trust (Athens, GA) — Preserving Experience on West Broad Oral History Project
Barrow Historical Society (Winder, GA) — Digital Upgrades

2015-2016
Lexington Historic Preservation Commission (Lexington, GA)--Manse restoration
Jackson County Government (Jefferson, GA)—Archaeology surveying
Demosthenian Literary Society (Athens, GA)—President’s Desk Restoration
William Harris Homestead (Monroe, GA)—Restoration of windows and banisters
TORCH of Hartwell (Hartwell, GA)—Restoration of windows at Railroad Depot
Franklin County Historical Society (Lavonia, GA)—Restoration of Plainview Schoolhouse
Crawford W. Long Museum (Jefferson, GA)—Restoration of windows

2014-2015
Oconee Cultural Arts Foundation (Watkinsville, GA)--Rocket Hall Gymnasium
Jackson County Historical Society (Commerce, GA)--scanner for court records
NSDAR John Andrew chapter (Watkinsville, GA)--fencing around Rev. John Andrew grave
Friends of Oconee Hill (Athens, GA)--Production of brochures, maps, signs, website enhancements
Demosthenian Literary Society (Athens, GA)--lectern restoration
Piedmont College (Demorest, GA)-- archival supplies

2013-2014
UGA Community Design and Preservation-FindIt! (Athens, GA) –- a historic resources survey of Unincorporated Habersham County
Nuci Phillips Memorial Foundation (Athens, GA)-- supplies for restoration of St. Mary's Church Steeple
Athens Clarke Library Heritage Room (Athens, GA)-- archival content management system implementation and back log processing project 
William Harris Homestead Foundation (Monroe, GA)-- Removal and replacement of cedar shake shingles on three structure
Athens Clarke Heritage Foundation (Athens, GA)-- Narrative site history, cultural source mapping and draft National Register of Historic Places nomination for Beech Haven
Lexington Historic Preservation Commission (Lexington, GA)-- Electrical rewiring and floor stabilization of the Manse, 1892
Clarkesville Habersham County Library (Clarkesville, GA)-- Photo scanner, computer, monitor, printer and external hard drive for preserving and cataloguing photos and documents illustrating life in early Habersham

2012-2013
Athens Land Trust (Athens, GA)--an oral history of the Waddell/Henderson Extension neighborhood and the West Broad School
ACC Public Library Georgia Heritage Room (Athens, GA)--conversion of VHS interviews with WWII veterans to digital format
Friends of Oconee Hill Cemetery (Athens, GA)--reclamation of African-American and pauper burial grounds
Historical Society of Walton County (Monroe, GA)--painting the 1845 Davis-Edwards House

2011-2012
Fort Hollingsworth/White House to help with restoration of an 18th century frontier fort
Chestnut Grove School House for restoration of a 19th century African-American schoolhouse
Athens-Clarke Heritage Foundation for filming “Athens Heritage Walks” series
William Harris Homestead to help with electrical rewiring of 18th century homestead
Athens Welcome Center to purchase antique door locks and help with faux graining

2010-2011
Athens-Clarke Heritage Foundation (Athens, GA)
Athens Land Trust (Athens, GA)
Athens Welcome Center (Athens, GA)
Demosthenian Literary Society (University of Georgia, Athens)
United Daughters of the Confederacy Chapter 1216 (Lavonia, GA)
Friends of Oconee Hill Cemetery (Athens, GA)
Oglethorpe County Education and Preservation Foundation, Inc. (Crawford, GA)

2009-2010
Athens Welcome Center (Athens, GA)
Rev. John Andrew Chapter, NSDAR (Watkinsville, GA)
Historic Oglethorpe County, Inc. (Lexington, GA)
Lavonia 21st Century, Inc. (Lavonia, GA)
Shields-Ethridge Heritage Farm Foundation, Inc. (Jefferson, GA)
William H. Harris Homestead Foundation, Inc. (Monroe, GA)

2008-2009
Athens Welcome Center (Athens, GA)
Hebron Historical Society (Clarkesville, GA)
Historic Oglethorpe County, Inc. (Lexington, GA)
Friends of the Old Clarkesville Cemetery (Clarkesville, GA)
Friends of Oconee Hill Cemetery (Athens, GA)
Shields-Ethridge Heritage Farm Foundation, Inc. (Jefferson, GA)

2007-2008
Athens 1864 Breastworks Preservation Group (Athens, GA)
Athens Land Trust (Athens, GA)
Empowering Parents for Troubling Times, Inc. (Greensboro, GA)
Historic Oglethorpe County, Inc. (Lexington, GA)
Lyndon House Arts Foundation (Athens, GA)
Shields-Ethridge Heritage Farm Foundation, Inc. (Jefferson, GA)