November 10, 2011

Volume 18, No. 45

Circulation: 39,950

State Farm Good Neighbor Service-Learning Grants for
K-12 Public School Teachers

Last Week to Apply!

Application Deadline Extended to November 15

State Farm™ is proud to team up with YSA (Youth Service America) in a dynamic partnership to offer grants of up to $1,000 for the promotion of 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.

Each grant will engage participating youth in service-learning, an effective teaching and learning strategy that promotes student learning, academic achievement, workplace readiness, and stronger communities. The State Farm Good Neighbor Service-Learning Grants encourage semester-long projects (a Semester of Service) that launch on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service (January 16, 2012) and culminate on Global Youth Service Day (April 20-22, 2012).

Up to 125 grants will be awarded; at least 10-15 grants will support projects addressing teen driver safety issues.

Applications must be submitted by November 15th, 2011.

Learn more at www.YSA.org/goodneighbor

Connect with YSA

YSA Funding Partners

Corporation for National and Community Service

News From the Field

Serving Those Who've Served

As we celebrate Veterans Day, here are some ways volunteers can help expand support for veterans and military families:
SERVE: Organize or join a project through Serve.gov. http://1.usa.gov/uX6gC4
HONOR: Memorialize the story of a veteran by recording his or her story for the Veterans History Project at the Library of Congress. The Veterans History Project Field Kit provides straightforward, step-by-step guidelines on how to interview a veteran. http://1.usa.gov/vLE1G7
PLEDGE: Operation Honor Cards is a project inspired by the First Lady's Joining Forces campaign to encourage Americans to pledge to serve military families and veterans. http://bit.ly/ucelpk

11/11/11 Veterans Day Service Events

11/11/11 only happens once in a century, which makes this a very special Veterans Day. Celebrate this unique occasion by serving in honor of those who have served and sacrificed within the ranks of our nation's military. On Veterans Day each year, we celebrate and offer thanks to those who have served our country in the uniformed service. What better way to say thank you to someone who has serve our country than to serve alongside them in the community? ServiceNation - as part of our Mission Serve initiative - is organizing 11 high profile service projects in 11 major American cities on 11/11/11. Learn more about our 11/11/11 events: http://bit.ly/vnEZna

FWD the Facts: Action for Horn of Africa

Right now 13.3 million people are in crisis because of the Famine, War, and Drought in the Horn of Africa. On Wednesday, November 9th, USAID sponsored a FWD>Day of Action for the Horn of Africa. The goal was to have 13.3 million people (the same number currently impacted by the crisis) hear about the crisis. Even though the day has passed, you can still help FWD the facts! In partnership with GOOD, USAID is launching a new community challenge for citizens to submit a proposal on how they are going to raise awareness about the crisis in their community. GOOD is awarding $5,000 to the most voted-on proposal to put the plan into action. You have until Wednesday, November 23 to submit your proposal. http://bit.ly/uaxuBK

Mobilize.org Seeks Spring 2012 Interns

Mobilize.org seeks to empower and invest in Millennials to create and implement solutions to social problems. As we continue to grow, we are looking for passionate Millennials to join our team. The Spring internship will be available January 18, 2012 lasting the entire semester. Mobilize.org interns will have the opportunity to work in our Communications, Development, or Program Department. Full-time interns who spend their semester with Mobilize.org will receive a $1000 stipend and have the opportunity to gain invaluable experience, contribute to a growing organization, and experience life in our nation's capitol. http://bit.ly/sMBLGx

Grants & Awards

Project Ignition Grants

Deadline: November 15

The National Youth Leadership Council® and State Farm® are pleased to announce the availability of $2,000 Project Ignition grants for public high schools to support their students in addressing teen driver safety through service-learning. Public high schools in the United States and the Canadian provinces of Alberta, Ontario and New Brunswick are invited to apply for the 2011-2012 grants. 25 schools will be chosen to receive $2,000 grants to implement their campaigns from January to April of this school year. Ten of these schools will be selected to receive additional support. http://bit.ly/pKcD1c

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

Humane Education Grants

Deadline: November 30

The Humane Society of the United States is accepting applications for the new Humane Education Mini-Grant, designed to fund classroom teachers who lead innovative, standards-based programs and curricula in humane education, specifically the teaching of kindness and respect for animals and their natural habitats. Applicants must be K-12 certified teachers working at a public, private, or parochial school. Projects should engage students in hands-on activities that lead to the acquisition of new knowledge, awareness, or self-discovery as they relate to humane education. http://bit.ly/w0ELZY

Sodexo Youth Grants

Deadline: January 17

YSA will award 100 Sodexo Youth Grants of $500 each to support youth-led service projects in the United States that address the issue of childhood hunger on Global Youth Service Day (April 20-22, 2012). 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. Over 17 million children in the United States live at risk of hunger. YSA and Sodexo are calling on young people, ages 5-25, to help make sure your peers don't have to worry about where their next meal will come from. Learn more at: www.YSA.org/grants/sodexoyouth

Everyday Young Heroes

Nicole Nielsen

San Carlos, CA

YSA recognizes 12 year old Nicole Nielsen of San Carlos, California as one of our Everyday Young Heroes for her work to using animal therapy to provide support for people with emotional and physical needs, and her work to promote animal conservation.

Nicole raised two lambs in 4-H, and she wanted to train them to be therapy animals and visit people in need. She felt that most people in her suburban community had never seen or touched a sheep and had very little contact with farm animals. Nicole started as a 4-H member, but has branched out to volunteer with many other organizations with her trained sheep. She volunteers regularly through an organization called Riley's Place, visiting such places as Ronald McDonald House at Stanford Children's Hospital and the Stanford Children's Hospital annual brain oncology picnic. She has also volunteered her time to support and fundraise for many organizations including the Semillas de Amor Children's Village and School in Guatemala, San Carlos/Eaton Hills 4-H, Peninsula Humane Society, Haven House, San Carlos Parks and Recreation Department, and the San Mateo County Fair.

She also is an advocate for animal conservation since her sheep are Olde English Babydoll Southdown mini sheep, a rare breed of sheep currently protected by conservation laws to prevent their extinction. Nicole will continue to reach out to the community with her animals as well as begin a breeding project with her ewe, producing offspring to help conserve this rare and special breed of domestic sheep. The new lambs will be born in the spring and will begin to be trained as therapy animals themselves.

For her efforts to provide support to those in need through animal therapy and her work to conserve endangered sheep, we honor Nicole 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.

Resources & Trainings

NYLC Webinar: Increasing Student Voice, Ownership, and Leadership

November 15, 2011 at 3:00pm Central

Creating a system of support for authentic youth voice may be very challenging, yet it is perhaps the essential element to getting young people to lead and take ownership of their learning. Join this session to explore your current perceptions and opportunities for shared decision-making with youth, and gain techniques and resources to strengthen youth voice in your work. With supportive guidance from adults, youth can take a strong leadership role in planning, implementing, and evaluating their learning experiences. http://bit.ly/rTJF9z

Points of Light MLK Day Webinar: Training and Placing Volunteer Leaders

November 17, 2011 at 3:00pm Eastern

Volunteer leaders and community members who are trained to lead service activities can greatly expand your MLK Day of Service efforts. In this session, you will discover how to develop a Volunteer Leader Framework that supports the recruitment, training and placement of strong Volunteer Leaders to support MLK Day efforts and beyond! http://bit.ly/v4wKOh

MLK Day Webinar: Project Planning and Development

November 21, 2011 at 3:00pm Eastern

The next MLK Day webinar, Project Planning and Development, will provide the tools to help you answer that question on MLK Day 2012. The webinar will include the nuts and bolts of planning your project and cover the following topics:
- Project ideas
- Tools for creating projects
- Generating projects through partnerships
- Creating and managing large scale projects
- Contingency planning
During the webinar, we will also invite those who already have project ideas to share with their peers and inspire more service projects across the nation. Learn more about and register for all MLK Day webinars at: http://1.usa.gov/qH6axE

Ready by 21 Leader Network

The Ready by 21 Leader Network was designed for the variety of leaders that are working to impact the lives of young people, from policymakers to service providers, parents and youth themselves. This new online resource provides tools, examples and supports to help the growing network of state and local leaders who are working to improve the odds for children and youth. Membership is free and open to all; the registration process only takes a minute. Leaders will have exclusive access to Ready by 21 toolkits, facilitation guides, case studies and multimedia offered by the Ready by 21 National Partnership. Explore this new resource at: http://bit.ly/rQaGOf