National Child Awareness Month Ambassadors Program

Do you know an exceptional teen or young adult with a passion for creating change? Nominate him or her for the National Child Awareness Month Ambassadors Program, a unique opportunity for service-minded youth, ages 16 to 22, to receive support and leadership training as they develop large-scale service projects that positively impact the lives of young people.

Fifty-one Youth Ambassadors will be selected - one per state - creating a powerful national network of young people who raise their collective voice in service to other youth.

Youth Ambassadors receive: 

• A two-day training in Washington, D.C. (travel, lodging and related expenses included);
• A $1,000 grant from the Festival of Children Foundation to implement a youth-focused service project of his or her choosing;
• Ongoing networking opportunities with other Youth Ambassadors across the country;
• Ongoing training and project support;
• A platform for their cause or issue-area. 

For detailed program and eligibility requirements, or to nominate a young person, visit: www.YSA.org/grants/NCAM  

Connect with YSA

YSA Funding Partners

News From the Field

Take Hunger Personally

The number of children going without the food and nutrition they need to be healthy, to focus on schoolwork, and to be productive, is a growing population. 1 out of every 5 children in America is at risk of hunger. Apply for one of YSA's Sodexo Foundation grant programs, plan a project using our No Kid Hungry Guide, or visit Share Our Strength's No Kid Hungry 2 website: www.NoKidHungry2.org  

Join the 9/11 Day Tribute Movement

  Please join us in observing 9/11 as a day of good deeds, when we pay tribute together by promoting worldwide unity, compassion and peace. Simply add your name as a supporter. Then come up with a good deed that you'll do on 9/11 this year. Any act of kindness or compassion counts. www.911day.org    

Plan a service or service-learning project for 9/11 using YSA's We Serve to Remember resource. 

Grants & Awards 

Global Youth Service Day Lead Agency Grants

Deadline: July 15

YSA and State Farm are proud to support up to 100 Global Youth Service Day Lead Agencies for GYSD 2013 (April 26-28, 2013). GYSD Lead Agencies are local, regional, or statewide organizations across the United States, and the Canadian provinces of Alberta, Ontario, or New Brunswick that lead GYSD in their city, region, or state. Lead Agencies convene a coalition of at least 10 partner organizations that collectively engage at least 600 youth volunteers in service on GYSD, engage local media and elected officials, and plan a high profile signature project or celebration of service. GYSD Lead Agencies will receive a $2,000 grant provided by State Farm, a travel stipend to attend the Youth Service Institute, and ongoing training and technical assistance from YSA.  www.YSA.org/grants/leadagency   

Sodexo Foundation Lead Organizer Grants

Deadline: July 15

Sodexo Foundation Lead Organizers will work with 10 or more partner organizations to engage at least 600 youth volunteers in learning about and addressing the issue of childhood hunger in their communities, beginning during National Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week, November 10-17, 2012, and continuing through Global Youth Service Day, April 26-28, 2013. Sodexo Foundation Lead Organizers will also build new partnerships in their community and increase public awareness about the issue of childhood hunger and young people's role in solving the problem. Up to 12 organizations will receive $2,000 grants as well as travel and lodging expenses for the Youth Service Institute provided by the Sodexo Foundation. www.YSA.org/grants/SodexoLeadOrganizer   

MLK Day Lead Organizer Grants

Deadline: July 15

YSA and CNCS  are proud to support up to 16 MLK Day Lead Organizers to coordinate Martin Luther King Day of Service (January 21, 2013) activities. The goal of the MLK Day Lead Organizers program is to engage youth and adult volunteers on Martin Luther King Day of Service by encouraging families to serve together. MLK Day Lead Organizers will convene a coalition of at least 10 partner organizations that collectively engage at least 3,000 youth and adult volunteers in service on MLK Day, including projects that both engage and serve veterans and military families. MLK Day Lead Organizers will receive a $4,000 grant as well as ongoing training and technical assistance from YSA. www.YSA.org/grants/MLKDay                 

Sodexo Foundation School Engagement Grants

Deadline: July 15

Sodexo Foundation School Engagement grantees will engage teachers and students, grades K-12, in learning about and addressing childhood hunger in their community through a service-learning Semester of Service. The Semester of Service™ framework is designed to engage students in a minimum of 70 hours of service and learning over a period of at least 10 - 14 weeks. This program focuses on the subject areas of civics, social studies and language arts, but may also incorporate other academic areas. The $5,000 grant can be used to support professional development in service-learning (including required training at YSA's Youth Service Institute), project planning and implementation, and demonstration/sharing of outcomes. www.YSA.org/grants/sodexoschool    

Harris Wofford Award - Youth

Deadline: July 22

The Harris Wofford Youth Award will be given to a young person (ages 5 -25) who is a legal resident of the U.S. who demonstrates exemplary commitment and action to involve his or her peers in service, youth voice, service-learning or civic engagement activities. The recipient will receive a $500 award for him/herself and $500 to give to a nonprofit of his or her choice to support program activities as well as travel to the Youth Service Institute. www.YSA.org/grants/harris-wofford-award-youth 

Harris Wofford Award - Educator

Deadline: July 22

The Harris Wofford Young Educator Award recognizes an extraordinary young teacher and his/her achievements and contributions towards enhancing the practice of high-quality service-learning. The recipient will receive a $500 award for him/herself and $500 for his/her service-learning program as well as travel to the Youth Service Institute. . www.YSA.org/grants/harris-wofford-award-educator     

State Farm Good Neighbor Student Achievement Grants

Deadline: July 31

YSA and State Farm™ are proud to offer grants of up to $1,500 for programs enhancing student achievement through service-learning in K-12 public schools in all fifty US states, the District of Columbia, and in the Canadian provinces of Alberta, Ontario and New Brunswick. The State Farm Good Neighbor Student Achievement Grant requires a 12-to-14 week Semester of Service™ starting on MLK Day of Service (January 21, 2013) and ending on Global Youth Service Day, (April 26-28, 2013). The grant also includes participation in a regional training to introduce grantees to the elements and expectations of the program as well as the suite of tools, resources, and support that YSA will provide. www.YSA.org/goodneighbor  

Nestle Very Best in Youth Program

Deadline: November 8

Nestlé helps young people, who want to make a difference, realize their dreams by donating $1,000 in the name of each winner to the charity of his/her choice. Nestlé also awards the winner a trip for them and a parent or guardian to Los Angeles, California for the Nestlé Very Best In Youth awards ceremony. The trip includes round trip coach air travel, hotel accommodations for three nights, and spending money. Contestants must be between 14 and 18 years of age and have parental or legal guardian permission to submit the entry form. Contestants must also demonstrate good citizenship, a strong academic record, and show how they have made a special contribution to their school, church or community. http://bit.ly/MYN5ED   

Resources & Trainings

STREAM Citizen Journalism Institute

July 23 - 25 in Charleston, SC
EarthEcho International will host a three-day STREAM Citizen Journalism Institute for middle and high school educators. The program includes a field trip to local environmental areas, books, a FLIP camera for each participant, and Water Planet Challenge Action Guides, plus opportunities for participants to learn through engaging experiences. Hear directly from EarthEcho co-founder Philippe Cousteau the imperative for environmental stewardship passed down through his family. Take this call to action and a range of knowledge and resources to transform your students into Citizen Journalists for our Water Planet.  Fees for the three-day Institute: for educators working in South Carolina - $75; for educators who work outside the state of South Carolina: $750. http://bit.ly/OG8TvV  

Get Involved in the 2013 National Service-Learning Conference!

The National Youth Leadership Council would like to invite you to join us more than 1,000 educators and 800 young people from around the world for the 24th Annual National Service-Learning Conference® in Denver, Colo., which will take place March 13-15, 2013. There are numerous ways for you to become involved today:
* Make a commitment to attend. ants attend as part of groups, which are most often intergenerational.

* Showcase your organization in the exhibit hall.

* Become an affiliate.
* Submit a workshop proposal or showcase application.
* Join a planning committee.
* Become a sponsor.  

Get involved today: http://bit.ly/MYSD1M  

Service Calendars

Conferences & Events

International Association for Research on Service-Learning and Community Engagement Conference 

September 23-25, 2012 - Baltimore, MD

YSA's Youth Service Institute 

October 17-19, 2012 - Houston, TX  

Summer Changes Everything National Conference 

October 22-24, 2012 - Pittsburgh, PA

People to People International Global Youth Forum
November 7-11, 2012 - Chicago, IL 

Seasons of Service

July 2012
Park and Recreation Month - July
World Population Day - July 11

August 2012
National Kids Day - August 5
National Night Out - August 7
International Day of Worlds' Indigenous Peoples - August 9
International Youth Day - August 12 

Song of the Week

The Byrds - "Turn, Turn, Turn"

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The Editor