[YL] Youth Service America's National Service Briefing - Volume 13, Number 12

[Youth Service America]

APRIL 17, 2006 Volume 13 Number 12 Circulation 43,880

THIS WEEK'S STORIES

PRESIDENT BUSH SENDS MESSAGE FOR NATIONAL & GLOBAL YOUTH SERVICE
DAY

On Wednesday, April 12th, President George W. Bush sent a
message to be read aloud to young people serving on National &
Global Youth Service Day. The message is as follows:

"I send greetings to those participating in the 18th annual
National and Global Youth Service Day.

One of society?s defining values is compassion, and we have a
responsibility to help those in need. Through millions of acts
of kindness, youth around the world are giving back and making a
positive difference in their communities. National and Global
Youth Service Day is a special opportunity for young people in
more than 100 countries to reach out to others and encourage
their friends to join them in answering the call to serve. By
making a commitment to service, integrity, and good citizenship,
youth volunteers build a more hopeful society for all.

I appreciate those participating in National and Global Youth
Service Day, and I urge you to continue your good works and help
spread compassion around the globe. Your dedication to serving a
cause greater than self inspires others and makes our world a
better place.

Laura and I send our best wishes."

YOUTH WILL CHANGE THE WORLD ON NATIONAL & GLOBAL YOUTH SERVICE
DAY

On April 21-23, millions of young people across the United
States and in over 100 countries around the world will lead
projects in areas ranging from literacy and the environment to
disaster relief, nutrition, and help for the elderly. National &
Global Youth Service Day, a program of Youth Service America in
collaboration with over 150 national and international partners
-- including the National Youth Leadership Council (NYLC),
PARADE Magazine, and the Global Youth Action Network as key
partners -- is a year-round effort to expand the impact of the
service movement.

Here are just a few examples of the amazing things young people
will do:

- In Tuscaloosa, AL, young people will work with the Tuscaloosa
Metro Animal Shelter and Animal Rescue New Orleans to host an
Adopt-A-Thon, featuring dogs that were left homeless after
Hurricane Katrina. Youth will teach participants about disaster
preparedness, pet preparedness, and pet care. 

- Four years ago, 13 year-old Berni Barta from Los Angeles, CA
founded Kid Flicks with her sisters. They collect new and used
videos and DVDs to donate to children's hospitals throughout the
U.S. On National & Global Youth Service Day, the sisters and
their friends will culminate a collection drive by sorting and
shipping videos and DVDs, with support from the Disney Minnie
Grant.

- In Jordan, Relief International: Schools Online will lead a
project called "I am My Community and My Community is Me" in
Beqa'a and Wehdat Refugee Camps in Amman. On Saturday April
22nd, volunteers from schools in the refugee camps will plant
trees, visit elderly homes, do a massive trash clean-up in a
nearby park, and finish the day with a celebratory meal. 

- With support from the State Farm Good Neighbor
Service-Learning Grant, fourth grade students will create a
community needs assessment that they will administer to all
fourth graders in the city of Hoboken, NJ. The survey will
determine areas of strength and challenges as seen through the
eyes of youth. Students will create the survey, tally and
analyze the results, and write a report to be shared with the
broader community and the Hoboken City Council. 

- As part of the National Days of Interfaith Youth Service, held
in partnership with National & Global Youth Service Day, the
Jewish Federation of Greater New Orleans will engage youth of
different faiths to help citizens in New Orleans, LA vote in the
first mayoral election since Hurricane Katrina. Youth volunteers
will publicize locations of relocated polling places, create an
election command center for the Louisiana Secretary of State,
and provide transportation for elderly and disabled voters to
polls. As an integral part of their project, youth will engage
in dialogue about their religious traditions to promote
learning, understanding, and peace.

- In Nigeria, People to People International Lagos, with the
support of over 20 partnering organizations, will organize a
Walk for Peace Rally and anticipates that more than 100,000
people will attend the event. The event aims to mobilize young
people to meet and discuss the need for peaceful co-existence,
and to raise awareness and support for positive youth
development. Prominent guests expected to attend include
government delegates and ministers.

- The Texas Youth Commission, a National & Global Youth Service
Day Lead Agency, in partnership with 66 coalition partners,
including Texas Youth Commission facilities, Texas Juvenile
Probation Departments, and a Dallas-based National Mediation
Program, will engage approximately 3,000 youth on parole and
court adjudicated youth in at least 140 community service
projects throughout the state. 

To view additional projects, please visit
http://ga1.org/ct/s7Mu-B71iPpD/map for U.S. projects and
http://ga1.org/ct/wpMu-B71iPpF/gysd for projects in other
countries. Finally, it is not too late to register your project
to be included in our international media campaign!

STATE FARM NATIONAL & GLOBAL YOUTH SERVICE DAY iCHAT

On Friday, April 21 youth will gather at four different National
& Global Youth Service Day projects to hear from and ask
questions of political figures through interactive
videoconference technology. From any of the target locations,
youth may ask questions, and share their opinion with, one
another and political leaders.

The State Farm National & Global Youth Service Day iChat seeks
to engage often-disconnected youth in America and top civic
leaders in a national conversation on the future of rural and
urban America; youth service and learning; and opening channels
of communication where they may not have existed before. 

Through Apple's interactive iChat technology, young adults in
four communities will engage in open dialogue with Secretary of
Agriculture Mike Johanns and elected representatives from three
states: New York, West Virginia, and Ohio. The Secretary will
deliver remarks and field questions from groups on how youth --
as citizens, students, and members of the rising labor force --
can address important problems and change the world. For more
information, or to view the forum via a streaming webcast,
visit: http://ga1.org/ct/z7Mu-B71iPpv/generationgengage. 

CELEBRATE NATIONAL & GLOBAL YOUTH SERVICE DAY WITH SIGNATURE
PARTNER EVENTS

Youth Service America is thrilled to celebrate National & Global
Youth Service Day in collaboration with several National
Partners that are hosting their own signature events. Check out
the resources they have to offer and get involved!

- The National Days of Interfaith Youth Service (NDIYS),
coordinated by the Interfaith Youth Core, will be held on April
22-23. Each year, NDIYS brings together thousands of religiously
diverse young people across the nation to serve their
communities. These young people explore and act on the impulse
of service in their religious traditions and work toward better
inter-religious understanding. Visit
http://ga1.org/ct/e1Mu-B71iPPL/ifyc to learn more.

- National Environmental Education (EE) Week 2006 -- April 16 -
22 -- is the single largest organized environmental education
event in U.S. history. It will increase the educational impact
of Earth Day by creating a full week of educational preparation,
learning, and activities in K-12 classrooms, nature centers,
zoos, museums, and aquariums. National EE Week will involve
thousands of educators and millions of students. It is
coordinated by the National Environmental Education & Training
Foundation (NEETF) in cooperation with hundreds of outstanding
schools, environmental education organizations, education
associations, state and federal agencies. To access resources
for your environmental project, visit
http://ga1.org/ct/3dMu-B71iPPa/eeweek.

- J-Serve -- April 23 -- is the annual day of service for Jewish
youth throughout the world. It is a day on which Jewish teens
join their counterparts in other faith communities, other cities
and other countries in giving of their time to serve the
communities in which they live. J-Serve is a project of PANIM:
The Institute for Jewish Leadership and Values, the Jewish
Coalition for Service, and the North American Alliance for
Jewish Youth (the NAA). For more information, visit
http://ga1.org/ct/d1Mu-B71iPPN/jserve. 

- National Wildlife Week -- April 22 - 30 -- a program of the
National Wildlife Federation, invites children, teens, and
adults to get outdoors and learn about and help the wildlife in
their neighborhood and beyond. Young people ages 12-18 can make
a difference for wildlife in their community when they take on
environmental service projects. Projects will challenge youth to
address global warming, undertake habitat restoration, and
become more aware of the ecology in their own areas. For more
information, visit
http://ga1.org/ct/AdMu-B71iPpy/wildlifeweek. 

HURRICANE RELIEF AND RECOVERY COMMUNITY SERVICE GRANT WINNERS
ANNOUNCED

In conjunction with National and Global Youth Service Day, April
21-23, 2006, Youth Service America and America?s Promise, have
awarded seventeen $1000 grants to young people (ages 5-25), to
implement sustainable relief projects supporting the hurricane
relief efforts in the Gulf Region. The Hurricane Relief and
Recovery Community Service Grants recognize the contributions
that young people from across the country have made to the
hurricane relief efforts, and hope to further inspire youth to
get involved in service. Projects will be launched on National
and Global Youth Service Day, and are youth created and led. For
a complete list of winners, visit:
http://ga1.org/ct/wdMu-B71iPpH/hurricane. 

MAYORS ACROSS THE U.S. NATIONALLY HONORED AS CHAMPIONS OF YOUTH
SERVICE

Youth Service America, organizers of National and Global Youth
Service Day, nationally honored 26 U.S. Mayors and one Tribal
Chairman for membership in the National and Global Youth Service
Day Honor Roll. In its second year and with 59 members, the
Honor Roll membership is awarded to public officials who have
constantly promoted their young constituents as assets,
resources, and leaders in their communities. More than 150
nominations were submitted by national nonprofit organizations,
communities, schools, and colleges. To view the honor roll,
visit: http://ga1.org/ct/w1Mu-B71iPpT/news. 

NATIONAL & GLOBAL YOUTH SERVICE DAY VOLUNTEERS CLOSED THE NASDAQ
STOCK EXCHANGE APRIL 13, 2006

Young volunteers from National & Global Youth Service Day?s New
York City Lead Agency, Children for Children, were joined by Lee
Kravitz, Editor of Parade Magazine and Youth Service America
Board member, to ring the closing bell for the NASDAQ stock
exchange on April 13, 2006. The bell ringing took place at the
Stock Exchange?s main trading office in New York City with the N
& GYSD logo broadcast on the their Times Square jumbotron. To
view pictures and video from the event, visit:
http://ga1.org/ct/dpMu-B71iPPs/nasdaq. For information about
Children for Children, visit:
http://ga1.org/ct/x7Mu-B71iPpC/childrenforchildren. For
information about Parade, visit:
http://ga1.org/ct/BdMu-B71iPPB/parads.

$1,000 "BEE" THE CHANGE COMMUNITY SERVICE GRANT AVAILABLE TO
INCREASE LITERACY

Youth Service America and Lionsgate are excited to announce the
"Bee" the Change Community Service Grant for literacy. This
grant opportunity offers $1,000 to ONE young person between the
ages of 5-25 to implement a sustainable community service
project that increases literacy in their community and uses the
movie, AKEELAH AND THE BEE, in theatres April 28th, as
inspiration. The "Bee" the Change Community Service Grant is
open to all young people in the United States between the ages
of 5-25. Projects should be youth-led and created, and must have
a portion of their project take place on National and Global
Youth Service Day (April 20-22, 2007). Mailed applications must
be postmarked no later than Friday, June 9, 2006. Email
applications must be received no later than 5:00 PM EST on
Friday, June 9, 2006. For more information and to download the
application, visit: http://ga1.org/ct/X1Mu-B71iPPr/awards.

AKEELAH AND THE BEE is the story of Akeelah Anderson (Keke
Palmer), a precocious eleven-year-old girl from south Los
Angeles with a gift for words. Despite the objections of her
mother Tanya (Angela Bassett), Akeelah enters various spelling
contests, for which she is tutored by the forthright Dr. Larabee
(Laurence Fishburne), her principal Mr. Welch (Curtis
Armstrong), and the residents of her neighborhood. Akeelah?s
aptitude earns her an opportunity to compete for a spot in the
Scripps National Spelling Bee and in turn unites her
neighborhood who witness the courage and inspiration of one
amazing little girl. For more information and to see the
trailer, visit:
http://ga1.org/ct/x1Mu-B71iPpZ/akeelahandthebee. Lionsgate is
the premier independent producer and distributor of motion
pictures, television programming, home entertainment, family
entertainment and video-on-demand content. Its prestigious and
prolific library is a valuable source of stable, recurring
revenue and is a foundation for the growth of the Company?s core
businesses. The Lionsgate brand name is synonymous with
original, daring, quality entertainment in markets around the
globe. For more information, visit:
http://ga1.org/ct/ddMu-B71iPP2/lionsgate.

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STORIES OF EVERYDAY YOUNG HEROES

Akira, Patrick, Stephanie, Erica, Nicholas, Deanna and Beth,
ages 19-21 and students at Tufts University in Medford,
Massachusetts launched The Giving Camp at Tufts, as a
sustainable YSA Youth Venture in conjunction with National &
Global Youth Service Day 2006. The purpose of the Giving Camp is
to create a camp for children with disabilities at Tufts
University and in the local Medford and Somerville areas, in
order to give them the opportunity to interact with college
students. A Giving Camp for adults with disabilities in their
community had already been existence but these ambitious young
people realized the need for a similar camp for children. The
goal of these camps is to provide an inclusive atmosphere to all
participants involved, and furthermore to educate college
students about disabilities in order to prepare them for the
Giving Camp. This year for National & Global Youth Service Day
The Giving Camp at Tufts will be holding a kids camp on April
23, 2006. Students from Tufts University will be paired with
children from the community who have mental and/or physical
disabilities. The kids and their student volunteers will spend
the day doing various activities focused around a spring theme,
such as planting and pressing flowers. They will also be making
cards for children at a local hospital and picking up litter in
a local playground.

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JOB ANNOUNCEMENT

AMERICA'S PROMISE, THE ALLIANCE FOR YOUTH - Coordinator

America's Promise-The Alliance for Youth located in Alexandria,
VA is currently recruiting an entry-level coordinator for their
Alliance Partnership department. Under general supervision the
coordinator will seek, develop, and manage partnerships with
national organizations to strengthen our Alliance with youth in
advancement of the organizational goals; ensure that partners
are fulfilling obligations and reaping benefits of their
Alliance membership; effectively engage and manage national
youth advisory body (Youth Partnership Team) to achieve its
stated objectives; and contribute to Alliance signature
initiatives including: 100 Best Communities for Young People and
Regional Best Practice Forums, Every Child Every Promise, and
Katrina?s Kids. Hiring salary for this position is $32,000 -
$36,000, full-time with comprehensive benefits. To apply,
please email a cover letter and resume to Ms. Stewart at
connies at americaspromise.org by April 17, 2006. Position will
remain open until filled. No phone calls please. EOE 

CORPORATION FOR NATIONAL AND COMMUNITY SERVICE - Press Secretary

The corporation for National and Community Service is seeking an
outstanding communicator to help carry out their mission to
improve lives, strengthen communities, and build a culture of
service in America. The Press Secretary serves as agency
spokesperson, develops a media plan and calendar, writes and
edits press materials and newsletters, and oversees all aspects
of day-to-day press operations. This position is a senior-level
discretionary position in the Washington D.C. Office of Public
Affairs. Applications are due by April 28 and the position will
start as soon as possible. Details and an online application are
available at: http://ga1.org/ct/a7Mu-B71iPpX/Employment. 

Other job opportunity resources:
http://ga1.org/ct/s1Mu-B71iPp-/Servenet
http://ga1.org/ct/3pMu-B71iPPS/idealist
http://ga1.org/ct/B1Mu-B71iPPc/opportunitynocs
http://ga1.org/ct/e7Mu-B71iPPA/independentsector

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GRANTS

BOYS HOPE GIRLS HOPE PROUDLY PRESENTS THE 2006 OPPORTUNITY MAKER
AWARD

The Opportunity Maker award celebrates those who share our
belief that every child deserves the opportunity to reach
his/her full potential. Candidates act on this belief by
providing opportunities that allow children and youth to be
safe, develop skills, pursue and education, feel loved and grow
into healthy and productive adults. Deadline is July 15, 2006.
Criteria and guidelines are available online at
http://ga1.org/ct/cpMu-B71iPPd/opportunitymaker. 

INTERNATIONAL ESSAY CONTEST FOR YOUNG PEOPLE

Sponsored by The Goi Peace Foundation (UNESCO's Partner for the
International Decade of a Culture of Peace and Non-Violence for
the Children of the World), the theme of this year's
International Essay Contest is "Learning to live together:
promoting tolerance and diversity in globalized societies."
Young people, up to age 25, from around the world are invited to
submit their creative ideas on this theme. Deadline is June 30,
2006. For more information, visit:
http://ga1.org/ct/zpMu-B71iPp5/essaycontest. 

NATIONAL COUNCIL FOR THE SOCIAL STUDIES: CHRISTA McAULIFFE REACH
FOR THE STARS AWARD

Winners receive a $1,500 grant to assist classroom teachers in:
1) developing and implementing imaginative, innovative, and
illustrative social studies teaching strategies; and 2)
supporting student implementation of innovative social studies,
citizenship projects, field experiences, and community
connections. Deadline is May 1, 2006. For guidelines and an
application, visit the
http://ga1.org/ct/N7Mu-B71iPp0/mcauliffe.

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CONFERENCES & EVENTS

NATIONAL STUDENT LEADERSHIP WEEK 2006 - April 16-22

The National Association of Student Councils, National Honor
Society, and National Junior Honor Society invite schools to
recognize and celebrate their student leaders during National
Student Leadership week. This year's focus will emphasize the
importance of including all students with "Activities for All:
There's a place for everyone in student activities!" as the
theme. For more information about National Student Leadership
Week and how you can get involved, visit:
http://ga1.org/ct/_pMu-B71iPpE/nhs. 

GLSENS'S 10th NATIONAL DAY OF SILENCE - April 26

The Day of Silence, a project of GLSEN in collaboration with the
United States Student Association (USSA), is a national
student-led day of action where those who support making
anti-lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) bullying and
harassment unacceptable in America's schools participate in
activities to recognize and protest the discrimination and
harassment - in effect, the silencing - experienced by LGBT
students and their allies. This year it is anticipated that a
record breaking 500,000 students from approximately 4,000
schools will take part in this year's Day of Silence on April
26, 2006. Students, schools and endorsing organizations, are
encouraged to download free resources and information, and to
register for this year's Day of Silence at
http://ga1.org/ct/xpMu-B71iPP1/dayofsilence.

ARSALYN NATIONAL CONFERNCE - June 2006

Each year the Arsalyn Program sponsors a national conference
designed to serve as a respectful, neutral forum for diverse
individuals promoting youth civic and political engagement to
meet as colleagues. In addition to opportunities for networking,
Arsalyn's national conference enables participants to look at
ways to get involved in the democratic process and develop a
sense of common purpose in working toward this goal.

This year's national conference "Navigating the Media Maze:
Informing Your Vote and Getting Out Your Message", will take
place in Washington DC during June 2006. It will bring young
people together to explore the role of the media with relation
to youth civic engagement. To apply for the conference, you must
be between the ages of 16 and 20 on June 23, 2006. For more
information, and to apply online, visit:
http://ga1.org/ct/xdMu-B71iPpV/arsalyn. Application deadline
is May 5, 2006.

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THE NATIONAL SERVICE CALENDAR 
CONFERENCES 

June 1-3, 2006 National Service-Learning at Faith-Based Colleges
and Universities Conference in Grantham, PA -
http://ga1.org/ct/_dMu-B71iPpj/conference
June 18-20, 2006 2006 National Conference on Volunteering and
Service - Seattle, WA
http://ga1.org/ct/NpMu-B71iPpp/volunteeringandservice
June 20-23, 2006 2006 Points of Light Foundation Youth
Leadership Institute National Training Seminars - Seattle, WA -
http://ga1.org/ct/BpMu-B71iPP4/pyli
October 22-24, 2006 Independent Sector Annual Conference in
Minneapolis-St. Paul -
http://ga1.org/ct/edMu-B71iPP_/indpendentsector
October 26-28, 2006 10th Annual Conference Healthy Communities
Healthy Youth, Minneapolis, MN -
http://ga1.org/ct/N1Mu-B71iPpo/seachinstitute 

SEASONS OF SERVICE AND SPECIAL EVENTS

April 21-23, 2006 National & Global Youth Service Day -
http://ga1.org/ct/sdMu-B71iPpJ/ysa,
http://ga1.org/ct/37Mu-B71iPPz/gysd 
April 22, 2006 Earth Day -
http://ga1.org/ct/31Mu-B71iPPq/earthday
April 22-30, 2006 National Wildlife Week -
http://ga1.org/ct/cdMu-B71iPP3/wildlifeweek 
April 23-29, 2006 National Volunteer Week -
http://ga1.org/ct/B7Mu-B71iPPX/pointsoflight
May 6, 2006 Join Hands Day -
http://ga1.org/ct/epMu-B71iPPM/joinhandsday
September 11, 2006 One Day's Pay -
http://ga1.org/ct/c7Mu-B71iPPe/ondayspay
September 30, 2006 National Public Lands Day -
http://ga1.org/ct/c1Mu-B71iPPx/npld
October 28, 2006 Make A Difference Day -
http://ga1.org/ct/d7Mu-B71iPPw/makeadifferenceday
November 13-19, 2006 World Kindness Week -
http://ga1.org/ct/spMu-B71iPpK/actsofkindness
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