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July 26, 2012
Volume 19, No. 30
Circulation: 41,000
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STEM Fest to Celebrate Service-Learning Super-Teachers, Explore Effective Practices
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Next week, 14 amazing YSA teachers will gather at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce for "STEM Fest: A Serious Celebration." YSA is bringing these teachers to Washington for a two-day summit to celebrate their achievements in leading their classes in a STEMester of Service, an extended service-learning program in which middle school students learned standards-based science, technology, engineering and/or math curricula through addressing an environmental issue affecting their communities.
STEM Fest culminates in a panel presentation at which teachers will share their success stories with an audience of education, government, and service leaders. Kumar Garg of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, who leads President Obama's "Educate to Innovate" initiative, will speak about the importance of STEM education in building career and workforce readiness skills.
Learn more about STEM Fest: http://bit.ly/OODEIR
If you're in the DC area, and want to join us on Wednesday, August 1 from 4-6pm for the public portion of the event, download the invitation here.
Read more about recent STEMester projects or watch videos from STEMester of Service teachers and their students.
If you're an educator, and want to replicate the success of YSA's Semester of Service grantees in your own classroom, you can start by taking advantage of YSA's programs:
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Connect with YSA
  
YSA Funding Partners
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News From the Field
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Celebrate My Drive
Celebrate My Drive is one special day, Saturday, September 15, 2012, for the community to rally around and support teens everywhere as they learn to drive and get ready for the road ahead.By turning out and getting others to attend, teens can have fun and win prizes, learn about safe driving in a celebratory way, and help their school compete for a $100,000 grant. Like Celebrate My Drive on Facebook to learn more: http://on.fb.me/MoAFb5
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How to Help Aurora, Colorado
Aurora, Colorado, is a city in mourning after a gunman opened fire in a crowded movie theater, killing 12 and injuring 58. There are several ways to help.
From CNN: How to help the victims of the Colorado massacre - http://bit.ly/NZUQip
From Huffington Post: Aurora Theater Colorado Shooting: How You Can Help Victims, Families - http://huff.to/OfsTUY
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10 Teens Carry the Olympic Flame in London 2012 Olympic Torch Relay
22 outstanding Americans selected by Coca-Cola lit up the streets of Oxford, England as they carried the Olympic Flame in the London 2012 Olympic Torch Relay. Among them were 10 teenagers from across the United States, including Jordyn Schara, a member of YSA's Youth Council. Each of the 22 torchbearers has shown limitless creativity in helping make a difference around the world. http://bit.ly/Nxw8aC
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Campus Counts: A National Study of College Student Registration and Voting
Colleges and universities are invited to apply to participate in a new CIRCLE research project, Campus Counts, a national study of college student registration, voting rates and patterns. By participating in this project, your campus will be a partner in innovative national research on the trends in and motivations for student public participation. For more information, please email Nancy Thomas at CIRCLE.
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Grants & Awards
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National Child Awareness Month Youth Ambassador Program
Deadline: July 29
Organizations are invited to nominate young people, ages 16 to 22, for the National Child Awareness Month Youth Ambassador program. The program challenges youth to create large-scale service projects, and includes training in Washington, D.C.; a $1,000 grant; and ongoing project support. For more information or to nominate a young person, visit www.YSA.org/grants/NCAM
Extensions available upon request.
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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 and DC. 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
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American Honda Foundation Grants
Deadlines: August 1, November 1
The American Honda Foundation is supporting broad, innovative and forward-thinking projects that meet the needs of youth, especially minority students. The Foundation is awarding grants of $20,000 to $75,000 for projects that emphasize youth education, specifically in the areas of STEM, the environment, job training, and literacy. http://bit.ly/PzrmYq
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Kids In Need Teacher Grants
Deadline: September 30
Kids In Need Teacher Grants provide K-12 educators with funding to provide innovative learning opportunities for their students. Teacher Grant awards range from $100 to $500 each and are used to finance creative classroom projects. Typically, 300-600 grants are awarded each year. All certified K-12 teachers in the U.S. are eligible. http://bit.ly/QgaqnA
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Everyday Young Heroes
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Hannah Perryman
Streamwood, IL
YSA recognizes 18-year-old Hannah Perryman from Streamwood, IL, as one of our Everyday Young Heroes. Hannah, a star pitcher and recent graduate of Elgin High School, serves as a beacon of hope by overcoming her fears and actively making a change in her community.
Hannah has overcome many obstacles in order to change the Illinois Stalking Law and ensure that no one else has to live through her experiences. When Hannah was in the 5th grade, she was assaulted by a girl living in her neighborhood, which escalated to stalking and death threats. At that time, state laws restricted Hannah from stopping the offender. After living in fear for four years, Hannah's offender was ultimately arrested and charged with eight felony counts of stalking. Breathing a sigh of relief, Hannah remained dedicated to change the state law by working with her legislators at the age of 15. Her bill was signed into law in August of 2010. Hannah continues to raise awareness by speaking at several conferences across the state, and sharing her story with educators and law enforcement. We honor Hannah Perryman as an Everyday Young Hero for her effort to provide a more secure future for stalking victims while maintaining excellence on the mound. 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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NYLC Generator School Network Webinar Archive
In June, NYLC's Generator School Network featured two webinars with local guest hosts. If you missed learning about youthrive's model for building youth leaders through peace-building or Kate McPherson's Learn, Serve, Succeed guide for classroom teachers and youth program leaders, you may now view these recorded webinars at any time. Watch, discuss, and share in the "Learn" section of the GSN. Free registration required. http://bit.ly/MNi5vQ
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The Latest in Philanthropy Research
Four Ways to Engage Millennial Donors - Building relationships with Millennials can lead to larger gifts down the road. Here are a few things your organization can do now to engage this new generation of donors: http://bit.ly/NLCiAY
Charities Must Find Multiple Ways to Persuade People of Different Generations to Give - Convio and Sea Change Strategies released findings of their latest survey about how members of different generations learn about charities, interact with them, and support them. http://bit.ly/OOfb6n
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Throw a Successful Awareness-Raising Event on a Shoestring Budget
In today's tough economic climate, it is more important than ever to increase awareness about how important programs are to children, parents and communities. These tips for planning a Lights On Afterschool event on a budget provide some great lessons that anyone planing an event to raise awareness might find useful: http://bit.ly/SWrdPx
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WKCD Resource Directory
Whether you are an education veteran or new to the field, WKCD's 300-plus links to social media, organizations, movements, resources, and topics vital to youth and schools is a go-to resource for those who care deeply about adolescent education and public schools. All of the entities listed here are nonprofit, nonpartisan, national in scope, and come with a track record. http://bit.ly/MMDvaw
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Service Calendars
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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
24th Annual National Service-Learning Conference
March 13-15, 2013 - Denver, CO
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Seasons of Service
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
September 2012
Hunger Action Month - September
International Literacy Day - September 8
National Day of Service and Remembrance - September 11
National Hispanic Heritage Month - September 15-October 15
Constitution Day - September 17
International Day of Peace - September 21
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Song of the Week
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Jon Bon Jovi - "It's My Life"
"This ain't a song for the broken-hearted
No silent prayer for the faith-departed
I ain't gonna be just a face in the crowd
You're gonna hear my voice
When I shout it out loud
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This is for the ones who stood their ground
For Tommy and Gina who never backed down
Tomorrow's getting harder make no mistake
Luck ain't even lucky
Got to make your own breaks."
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The Editor
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 Mike Minks Director of Outreach and Innovation
Editor-in-Chief @michaelminks |
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