Calling All HEROES: Serve &

Fight ChildHood Obesity

The UnitedHealth HEROES program is a service-learning, health literacy initiative developed by UnitedHealthcare and YSA (Youth Service America). The program awards grants to help youth, ages 5-25, create and implement local, hands-on programs to fight childhood obesity.

Each grant engages participating youth in service-learning, an effective teaching and learning strategy that supports student learning, academic achievement, and workplace readiness. The grants encourage semester-long 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).

Schools, service-learning coordinators, non-profits, and students in the health professions located in all 50 states and the District of Columbia are eligible to apply for the $500-$1,000 grants.

Applications must be submitted online before midnight October 22, 2010. To obtain an application, visit www.YSA.org/HEROES.

Download "First Responders: Youth Addressing Childhood Obesity Through Service-Learning," a step-by-step manual that helps youths, parents, teachers, and other volunteers deploy YSA service-learning models to fight childhood obesity in their communities.

Connect with YSA

YSA Funding Partners

Corporation for National and Community Service

News From the Field

Save Service District Day - August 10

As you know, Congress and the White House have reached a deal on the debt ceiling. At this moment, our nation's policymakers are under great pressure to achieve the cuts promised in this deal, and that means everything is on the table. That is why we need you to join us on August 10 for District Day, to tell Congress to invest in the Corporation for National and Community Service. Without cost-effective federal investment in national service, 90,000 young adults who serve on the front lines of natural disasters, the education crisis and more will be without jobs, $1 billion in private investment will be withdrawn from local communities, and vital services helping to keep veterans and seniors independent and reduce their need for state-funded assistance will be eliminated. Learn how you can help at http://bit.ly/omxmfa

Voices for National Service Capitol Hill Day - September 15, 2011

After a drawn out battle, Congress and the Administration have reached a debt agreement that requires deep and devastating cuts to discretionary programs like those supported by the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS). The threat to national service is very real and we need your help! Please join us in Washington, D.C. on September 15th for the Voices for National Service Capitol Hill Day. Our elected leaders need to hear that national service is a priority for their constituents. Please register today for the Voices for National Service Capitol Hill Day. to secure your place and to give us sufficient notice of your planned participation. Registration will close on August 26. Learn more at: http://bit.ly/ql2Y29

Youth Contests Now Open for IAVE World Summit for Youth Volunteering

Three contests are now open for youth prizes to be awarded at the 2nd IAVE World Summit for Youth Volunteering in Barranquilla, Colombia from November 3- 5, 2011, including a Film Festival (ten films will be showcased and 3 finalist will receive a grant to attend the Summit), a 100 Ideas for Youth Volunteerism publication, and a Heroes of the Millennium prize for three finalists to attend the Summit. Enter by August 31 at http://bit.ly/q26cLe

National Service Agency Announces 2011 Social Innovation Fund Grants

CNCS today announced that five new intermediaries will be receiving grants from the Social Innovation Fund. Like the eleven organizations selected last year, these five outstanding organizations represent experienced grantmakers with strong track records of success who have proposed compelling, innovative programs to tackle some of our country's biggest challenges in our most needy areas. The five awards total $13.9 million and will fund the initial two years of each grant, which address challenges in the critical areas of affordable housing, homelessness, obesity, early education and literacy. http://bit.ly/onkuTL

Grants & Awards

STEMester of Service YSA Grants

Deadline Extended: August 15

YSA is seeking middle schools with large populations of disadvantaged youth in the 19 states with highest dropout rates (AK, AZ, CA, CO, DE, DC, GA, HI, IL, LA, MI, MT, NV, NM, NY, NC, RI, WA, WY). Grantees will engage students in a STEMester of Service addressing critical environmental and disaster preparedness needs and connecting them to STEM curricula. The $5,000 grant supports sustainable service projects that launch on MLK Day of Service (January 16, 2012) and culminate on GYSD (April 20-22, 2012). www.YSA.org/grants/stemester

Sodexo School Engagement Grants

Deadline: August 15

The Sodexo School Engagement grant program will support teachers and students, grades K-12, in learning about the incidence of childhood hunger in their community, and in leading meaningful activities that facilitate access to nutritious food for all children, especially those most at risk. The program will be implemented through a service-learning "Semester of Service" focused on childhood hunger that launches on MLK Day of Service (January 16, 2012) and culminates on GYSD (April 20-22, 2012).. 11 grantees will receive a $5,000 planning grant. www.YSA.org/grants/sodexoschool

Light Up A Landmark for Lights On Afterschool Contest

Deadline: September 23

Thanks to longtime afterschool champion jcpenney, afterschool programs have another reason to get revved up for Lights On Afterschool this October 20: Tell us what you can light up for your Lights On Afterschool celebration and you may win up to $5,000! Start by registering for Lights On Afterschool and using the Event Planning Kit Eleven event winners will be selected nationwide: one Megawatt award winner: $5,000 and ten Spotlight award winners: $1,000. http://bit.ly/ouOxGF

Sodexo Youth Grants

Deadline: September 16

YSA will award 25 Sodexo Youth Grants of $500 each to support youth-led service projects in the United States that address the issue of childhood hunger during National Hunger & Homelessness Awareness Week (November 13-20, 2011). We're looking for projects that engage your peers, friends, families, neighbors, Sodexo employees, and other community members in creative, youth-inspired solutions to ending childhood hunger in your community. Learn more at www.YSA.org/grants/sodexoyouth

Everyday Young Heroes

Rachel Beckwith

Seattle, WA

YSA recognizes nine year old Rachel Beckwith of Seattle, Washington, as one of our Everyday Young Heroes for her dedication to ensuring that people in Africa have access to clean water.

For her ninth birthday, Rachel Beckwith told family and friends that that the only gifts she wanted were donations toward her goal of raising $300 to bring clean water to African villagers. She requested that people make donations to Charity Water and she set up a charity website to meet her goal. Unfortunately, she was only able to raise $220 by her birthday, and she decided to close the Web page that been set up for the charity, the article stated. On July 20th, tragically Rachel passed away in a 13-vehicle accident. Ryan Meeks, a pastor from her church, reopened the website and since then, donations have been pouring in. As of Tuesday afternoon, a little more than a week after Rachel Beckwith's death, her online fundraising page has drawn $769,599 in donations from 21,572 donors, which will provide over 40,000 people in Africa with clean drinking water.

"I found out that millions of people don't live to see their 5th birthday. And why? Because they didn't have access to clean, safe water so I'm celebrating my birthday like never before. I'm asking from everyone I know to donate to my campaign instead of gifts for my birthday. Every penny of the money raised will go directly to fund freshwater projects in developing nations."

For her kind her kind heart and for inspiring others to continue her legacy of bringing clean water to African communities, we honor Rachel as an Everyday Young Hero.

Visit Rachel's website to make a donation: http://bit.ly/qs0FVV

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.

Resources & Trainings

"The Great Hope of Meaningful Service Linked with Meaningful Learning"

The latest issue of Citizenship Matters from the National Center for Learning and Citizenship at the Education Commission of the States features a guest commentary from Steve Culbertson, YSA's President and CEO. Steve writes about the importance of youth service and notes the irony that, at a time when funding for service-learning has been eliminated from the proposed federal budget, there is more support at the state legislative and corporate levels. Read the article at: http://bit.ly/nhTgdo

Taking Learning Outside Webinar

August 24th @ 4:00pm EST

Whether or not you have a Schoolyard Habitat or outdoor classroom, you too can take learning outside. The National Wildlife Federation's Schoolyard Habitats® Program is hosting a free webinar on taking learning outside. We will cover how to teach nearly any subject outdoors and meet national content standards. Presenters will provide examples of how they have translated standards into specific outdoor activities. http://bit.ly/qHYOH9

FindYouthInfo.gov - Civic Engagement and Volunteering

FindYouthInfo.gov was created by the Interagency Working Group on Youth Programs (IWGYP), which is composed of representatives from 12 Federal agencies that support programs and services focusing on youth. FindYouthInfo has added new content on civic engagement and volunteering, including "What we know about civic engagement and volunteering" and "How communities can recruit youth into these programs." Browse the info at: http://bit.ly/qR1bXW