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June 17, 2011
Volume 18, No. 24
Circulation: 39,000
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STEMester of service grants
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Funded by Learn and Serve America, a program of the Corporation for National and Community Service, STEMester of Service incorporates YSA's Semester of Service framework to engage educators and students in addressing critical environmental and disaster preparedness needs and connecting them to STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) curricula.
YSA is seeking middle schools with large populations of disadvantaged youth; STEM schools must be located in one of the 19 states with highest dropout rates (Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Delaware, District of Columbia, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Louisiana, Michigan, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Rhode Island, Washington, and Wyoming). Afterschool programs with strong academic connections that engage middle school students are also eligible.
The $5,000 grant (that includes travel and training at YSA's Youth Service Institute in Philadelphia in October) supports teachers and afterschool program facilitators as they engage local partners and guide students in addressing local needs through planning and implementing sustainable service projects that launch on Martin Luther King, Jr Day of Service (January 16, 2012) and culminate on Global Youth Service Day (April 20-22, 2012). www.YSA.org/grants/stemester
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| YSA Funding Partners
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News From the Field
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Get Ur Good On for the Summer
To celebrate National Summer Learning Day (and the official first day of summer) on June 21, YSA provides this list of 10 Ways to Get Ur Good On for the summer. Ideas include setting up a lemonade stand to raise money for charity, coaching a local youth sports team, and getting certified in CPR. For more ideas, download the tipsheet at: http://bit.ly/jNzGfQ
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District Captains Needed for Save Service Summer District Days
School's out and we're all ready for vacations and summer fun. Unfortunately, the budget battle on Capitol Hill is heating up. Recruit (or become!) a District Captain for the Save Service Summer District Days on July 20 and August 10. It just takes a few hours a week, and the Save Service campaign will provide our District Captains will all the materials and staff support necessary to generate strong local engagement. http://bit.ly/lwLjER
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President Obama Announces "How to Make Change" Series for Young Americans
Last week, President Obama met with young Americans in the West Wing to de-brief on the "100 Youth Roundtables" Initiative. In that session, young people reflected on the feedback given to the White House during the course of the initiative. They discussed issues regarding environmental regulations, community organizations, legislation that the President supports, and how to really make a difference all around. To follow up on that feedback, the President announced a new series that will take us through the summer, called, "How to Make Change." Learn more at http://1.usa.gov/kBBT7I
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America's Promise Alliance and State Farm Partner to Designate "Promise Places" Across America
America's Promise Alliance and State Farm have announced a new partnership to locate and recognize Promise Places across the country. A Promise Place is a school, church, community organization, business or any other place that provides all Five Promises -- caring adults; safe places; a healthy start; an effective education; and opportunities to help others -- to young people. First launched in 2009, the Promise Places program seeks to raise awareness of local models for youth development that support the mission and goals of the Alliance and its Grad Nation campaign. http://bit.ly/jgoRY7
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Grants & Awards
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9/11 Service-Learning YSA Grants
Deadline Extended: June 19
Available to youth ages 5-25 and teachers/educators who work with youth ages 5-25, YSA will award 10-20 $500 or $1,000 grants to youth-led projects that address important community needs while helping youth - many of who have no first hand memory of the event - remember and honor the 9/11 victims and their families, understand the significance of the event, and commit to sustaining our democracy through service. Projects will need to address one of YSA's 9 for 9/11 - 9 lessons from the event and related ideas for service-learning projects. www.YSA.org/grants/911
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Foundation for Sustainable Development Global Photo Contest
Deadline: June 24
How do you see grassroots development? How can you reveal the individuals on the frontlines who are driving grassroots action for global peace, freedom, and sustainability? Putting a face to grassroots development is an important part of the Foundation for Sustainable Development's advocacy efforts. The contest is open to anyone who is a fan of FSD on Facebook and the winner will receive a $500 gift card to the online camera store B&H. The winning photo will also be published on FSD's website and other major publications. To learn more, visit: http://on.fb.me/kplsJc
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2012 Global Youth Service Day & Semester of Service Lead Agencies
Deadline: July 15
Lead Agencies convene a planning coalition of at least 10 partner organizations that collectively engage at least 600 youth volunteers in service during Semester of Service and on GYSD, engage local media and elected officials, and plan a high profile signature project or celebration of service. Lead Agencies receive a $2,000 GYSD planning grant sponsored by State Farm, travel support to attend YSA's annual Youth Service Institute, and ongoing training and technical assistance from YSA. www.YSA.org/grants/leadagency
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Sodexo Lead Organizer YSA Grants
Deadline: July 15
Sodexo Lead Organizers will work with partner organizations to engage at least 600 youth volunteers in learning about and addressing the issue of childhood hunger in their communities, beginning during Hunger & Homelessness Awareness Week (November 14-20) and continuing through Global Youth Service Day (GYSD) (April 20-22, 2012). Sodexo Lead Organizers receive a $2,000 planning grant, travel and lodging for YSA's Youth Service Institute, and ongoing training and technical assistance.
www.YSA.org/grants/sodexoleadorganizer
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Everyday Young Heroes
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Catherine Mitchell
Oceanside, CA
YSA recognizes fifteen year old Catherine Mitchell from Oceanside, California, as one of our Everyday Young Heroes for her work to empower African women and to support orphan children in Uganda. During a trip to Uganda to visit a family friend, Catherine volunteered at an orphanage where Catherine met Jackie, a five-year-old former street child whose mother was dying of AIDS. Touched by her story, Catherine gave her a teddy bear and she gave Catherine a delicate bracelet crafted from scrap paper and scavenged beads. On the 22-hour flight home, Catherine made a plan to turn her vacation into a vocation: empowering women and providing education to girls in a region where only 8% of women get an education. Catherine landed in Los Angeles with a plan: to create a micro-business to sell the unique handmade jewelry. Catherine started "Beauty 4 Life," a micro-business that sells handcrafted, Ugandan jewelry, so that Jackie won't have to be an orphan living on the streets. Catherine's micro business, Beauty 4 Life, has a two-fold purpose: to empower women so they can educate their children, provide for their families, and keep their children out of wars and to develop the "Africans caring for Africans" organizational model, which creates dignity by allowing them to improve their lives, their families, and their communities. Catherine speaks to groups to raise awareness and create further investment in her partnering organizations. Through her micro business and over 2000 donated hours, Catherine is building a women's center for the women to have a comfortable place to work and is developing a school and childcare center for their children. Additionally, Catherine is helping the women to develop business and practical skills to create a sustainable income for themselves and their children. Catherine is giving them a hand-up instead of a hand-out, creating a vibrant prospering community for 600 women and children. Catherine plans to write a book to help other kids start micro-businesses and she hopes to create a replicable model to do the same work in South America and India. She has realized that her role is to connect those in need of help with those who need to help and she is committed to making the world a better place. For her dedication to providing a better future for the women of Uganda and their children, we honor Catherine as an Everyday Young Hero.
To nominate a young person who has improved their community through service to be recognized as an Everyday Young Hero, please visit www.ysa.org/awards/hero. |
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Resources & Trainings
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Voting System Scorecard
Rock the Vote just released the first-ever Voting System Scorecard - a 50-state analysis of laws and policies that have an impact on young voters' access to the political process. As dozens of states actively work to make it harder for young people to vote, Rock the Vote sought to evaluate how well states are serving this generation of voters. Rock the Vote graded each state based on how accessible its voting system is - looking at voter registration, casting a ballot, and how well states prepare young people for citizenship - and then ranked all 50 states and DC. You can view the scorecard, key findings, and a link to the full report at: http://bit.ly/m3a23C
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Five Strategies to Revive Civic Communication
Civic Engagement and Community Information: Five Strategies to Revive Civic Communication, is a new policy paper by CIRCLE Director, Peter Levine. The report calls on community and elected leaders to adopt sensible strategies to strengthen civic communication and citizen engagement. Learn more or download the report at: http://bit.ly/lCNVYg
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Habitat for Humanity 2011 Youth Leadership Conference
November 4 - 6, 2011 - Indianapolis, IN
Plan to join Habitat for Humanity for another fun-filled opportunity to network with fellow leaders, share accomplishments, learn new ideas and plan for the future of your group. To learn more and register, visit http://bit.ly/iWjOIT
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Service Calendars
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Conferences & Events
Generations United 16th International Conference July 26-29 - Washington, DC National Urban Service-Learning Institute August 6-7 - St. Paul, MN National Conference on Citizenship September 15 - Philadelphia, PA September 22-23 - Phoenix, AZ YSA Youth Service Institute October 24-26 - Philadelphia, PA People to People International Global Youth Forum November 9 - 13 - Kansas City, MO National Service-Learning Conference April 11-14, 2012 - Minneapolis, MN See more events on the Conference Calendar. |
Seasons of Service
June 2011
World Refugee Day - June 20
National Summer Learning Day - June 21
July 2011
Park and Recreation Month - July
August 2011
National Night Out - August 2
National Kids Day - August 7
International Youth Day - August 12
See more important dates on the Seasons of Service Calendar.
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Quote of the Week
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"Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter."
- Martin Luther King, Jr.
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The Editors
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 Mike Minks Director of Outreach
Editor-in-Chief |  Danielle Miranda Manager of Outreach
Associate Editor |  Mike Man Manager of Outreach
Associate Editor |
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