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October 6, 2011
Volume 18, No. 41
Circulation: 39,950
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Last Chance To Be a
UnitedHealth HERo!
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These are the last few days to apply for YSA's UnitedHealth HEROES Service-Learning Grants!
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.
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, after-school programs, 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. Grant applications will be reviewed and selected on a state-by-state basis, and there will be grants awarded in every state.
Applications must be submitted online before midnight next Sunday, October 23, 2011. To obtain an application, visit www.YSA.org/HEROES
 Download " First Responders: Youth Addressing Childhood Obesity Through Service-Learning," a step-by-step guide to help youth, parents, teachers, and other volunteers deploy YSA service-learning models to fight childhood obesity in their communities
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Connect with YSA
  
YSA Funding Partners
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News From the Field
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Make Your Mark Week: 10/16 - 10/22
GenerationOn's Make Your Mark Week is October 16-22. It's an opportunity for kids to focus on issues that matter most to them and to support those issues with small acts of service that come together to create big changes. This year, Make Your Mark Week focuses on five issue areas that matter most to young people: animals, the environment, homelessness, hunger and literacy. You can help to support Make Your Mark Week by sharing ways that kids can make their mark through your social networks. Take a minute to check out the Make Your Mark Week website and the Make Your Mark Week Facebook application. http://bit.ly/qKb76q
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2011 List of 100 Best Communities for Young People Announced
America's Promise Alliance has announced its 2011 list of 100 Best Communities for Young People presented by ING. This year, more than 350 communities in all 50 states and Washington, DC, were nominated for the 100 Best competition. The winners come from 37 states and 30 are first-time recipients of the honor. To learn more about the winning communities, visit: http://bit.ly/qZYCuk
View the archived webcast of the announcement, featuring a congratulatory message from Vice President Joe Biden at: http://bit.ly/pvuSUJ | |
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YSA to Celebrate 25th Anniversary with TEDxCapital - November 4
 On Friday, November 4, YSA will host TEDxCapital: Generational Service in celebration of our 25th anniversary. The event will feature seven outstanding speakers offering "ideas worth spreading" about the past, present, and future of youth engagement. TEDxCapital will take place on November 4 from 2:00 - 5:00pm at the Wooly Mammoth Theater in Washington, DC. If you're interested in joining us, please visit www.TEDxCapital.org for more details. Videos of all the speakers will be archived on the site after the event. |
MLK Day of Service - January 16, 2012
Each year, Americans across the country come together on the Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service to serve their neighbors and strengthen their communities. Find more information below about MLK Day Grants and MLK Day Webinars.
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Grants & Awards
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UnitedHealth HEROES Grants
Deadline Extended: October 23
The UnitedHealth HEROES program is a service-learning, health literacy initiative that awards grants to help youth, ages 5-25, create and implement local, hands-on programs to fight childhood obesity. The grants encourage semester-long projects that launch on MLK Day of Service and culminate on Global Youth Service Day. 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. Learn more at www.YSA.org/HEROES
Prudential Spirit of Community Awards
Deadline: November 1
If you've made a difference through volunteering over the past year, you could win $1,000 and a fabulous trip to Washington, D.C. next May by applying for a Prudential Spirit of Community Award! Even more importantly, you could win recognition that might inspire other young people to follow your example. These prestigious awards, sponsored by Prudential Financial and NASSP, have honored nearly 100,000 middle and high school students at the local, state, and national level over the past 16 years solely for their volunteer work. http://bit.ly/pb4Fbb
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MLK Day Grant Opportunities
Deadline: Varies
Learn more about MLK Day grant opportunities from:
Watch this webinar for information about all the MLK Day grant programs available: http://bit.ly/nWU0Oh
 | | Grant Opportunities - Is your Project Eligible to Receive a Grant and What is the Process? |
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State Farm Good Neighbor Service-Learning Grants
Deadline: November 9
State Farm is proud to team up with YSA to offer grants of up to $1,000 for service-learning projects in K-12 public schools in all fifty US states and the District of Columbia, and in the Canadian provinces of Alberta, Ontario and New Brunswick. The State Farm Good Neighbor Service-Learning Grants encourage semester-long projects. Up to 125 grants will be awarded; at least 10-15 grants will support projects addressing teen driver safety issues. Learn more at www.YSA.org/goodneighbor
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MLK Day Lead Organizer Grants
Deadline: November 18
YSA and CNCS are proud to support up to 16 MLK Day Lead Organizers with $4,000 planning grants to coordinate Martin Luther King Day of Service (January 16, 2012) activities. This grant program is open to nonprofit organizations, K-12 schools, and colleges & universities in all 50 states and DC. Grantees will be required to engage at least 3,000 volunteers in community service or service-learning projects on MLK Day, build or strengthen partnerships with at least 5 partner organizations, and address one or more strategic issue areas. Learn more: www.YSA.org/grants/MLKDay
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Everyday Young Heroes
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Ari Hiller
Teaneck, NJ
YSA recognizes thirteen year old Ari Hiller of Teaneck, New Jersey, as one of our Everyday Young Heroes for his many efforts to provide support to seniors and needy members of his community. Ari takes part in Areyvut's Bergen County Mitzvah Clowning program, spending time monthly with residents of senior care facilities and with special needs children. He interacts with various populations, talks with those that get few visitors, and brings joy and smiles to others. In June Ari celebrated his Bar Mitzvah by designing and implementing a Tikkun Olam (community service) tour of Bergen County. On the last day of school he and his peers performed many acts of service. On the last day of school he and his peers boarded a bus and dropped off magazines at hospitals and nursing homes, nonperishable food items at a local pantry and assisted with a trail clean up at a local nature preserve. Ari was successful in engaging roughly 40 youth volunteers for his Tikkun Olam tour by recruiting his friends, classmates and peers to participate in this innovative program that he developed. Because of Ari's impressive work in the Bergen County community, individuals in need know that there is someone they can count on who is committed to helping them. Ari was able to donated hundreds of magazines, many food items and continues to be an active participant in Areyvut's Mitzvah Clowning program. For his work to provide smiles and friendship to local senior citizens and his volunteer initiatives to support needy community members, we honor Ari 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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MLK Day of Service Webinars
Mark your calendars and get your service projects ready for the 2012 MLK Day of Service on January 16, 2012. With fewer than 100 days left until the 2012 MLK Day of Service, now is the time to plan! The following free webinars will be presented to help project organizers prepare for MLK Day of Service:
- Project Planning and Development - October 19, 2011
- Raising Resources & In-Kind Donations- October 26, 2011
- Recruiting Stellar Volunteers - November 9, 2011
- Project Planning and Development (repeated) - November 21, 2011
- Raising Resources & In-Kind Donations (repeated)- November 30, 2011
- Recruiting Stellar Volunteers (repeated) - December 7, 2011
- Creating a Communications Plan - December 14, 2011
- Final Preparations - January 11, 2012
Register for any or all of these webinars at: http://1.usa.gov/qH6axE
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2nd International Training Institute to Establish or Enhance a Local Youth Court/Teen Court
December 6-8, 2011 in Las Vegas
This institute is designed for those who are interested in establishing or enhancing a local juvenile justice diversion program, often referred to as youth court, teen court, peer court, student court and youth peer panel. Topics to be covered include training adult and youth volunteers, offering quality community service programs, mock family intake meetings, implementing operational and administrative procedures, identifying funding and resources opportunities, legal and liability issues, partnerships with MOU's, program evaluation/satisfaction, juvenile referral sources, grant writing, identifying public and private resources and other operational and administrative aspects Learn more and register at: http://bit.ly/q3HRvQ
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Heart of the Nation: 9/11 & America's Civic Spirit
This new book is a resource to help people awaken in them the spirit to serve and to help them find their own calling in life. Chapter 6 is devoted to how young people can start thinking about those questions. 
The author,
John M. Bridgeland, is former Director of the White House Domestic Policy Council under President George W. Bush and is a current member of the White House Council for Community Solutions under President Obama. Order the book at: http://bit.ly/q09SPn
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Quote of the Week
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"Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven't found it yet, keep looking. Don't settle. As with all matters of the heart, you'll know when you find it. "
- Steve Jobs
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The Editors
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 Mike Minks Director of Outreach
and Innovation
Editor-in-Chief @michaelminks |  Danielle Miranda Manager of Outreach
Associate Editor |  Mike Man Manager of Outreach
Associate Editor |
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