Back to School, Back to Service

This week, PDK/Gallup released the latest results of its study of Americans' attitudes toward public education. Titled "A Nation Divided," the report exposes deep rifts over hot-button issues like teacher evaluation and school vouchers. As we start the school year divided, YSA offers a remedy that teachers, parents, and especially students can all agree on: service-learning. As we look for ways to bolster student achievement and workforce readiness, service-learning is a strategy that we know works.

YSA's programs resound with success stories: 

• Read (and listen) to a student's perspective: Service + Learning: A Student's Voice 
• And a teacher's perspective: A Teacher Talks: Service-Learning--The Expected & Unexpected Outcome 
• Listen to YSA's STEMester of Service teachers share their successes at our STEM Fest 2012 event and read the public information brief from RMC Research highlighting student outcomes achieved during the program.

This school year, thousands of students across the country will embark upon YSA's Semester of Service, a 12 to 14 week program of service-learning. YSA offers free teacher guides and resources to assist in planning. If you're interested in bringing the success of YSA's Semester of Service program into your classroom, and learning more about upcoming in-person & online training opportunities and new YSA resources, sign up today at www.YSA.org/semester  

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News From the Field

Get Ur Good On for Back to School 

Summer has come to an end, but that means there are new opportunities to get creative in helping your community solve some of its toughest problems. Do you want to see more action towards protecting the environment, promoting healthy eating, or providing new opportunities for low-income families? Here are 10 easy ways you make an impact, develop new skills and interests, and even make new friends as you head back to school: http://bit.ly/R10cXJ   

ServiceVote 12 for '12: Engaging Youth in the 2012 Elections Special Series

With just under 11 weeks to go until Election Day, YSA continues this special 12-part series leading up to November 6.

From conservation issues to seatbelt laws to education policy, elected officials make important decisions that affect youth and their communities. Participating in the electoral process is a powerful way for young people to serve and have a voice in who will represent you and your community.

YSA offers the ServiceVote 12 for '12 - twelve ideas of how young people can serve this election season (and only one of them requires you to be 18!) Get all the ideas, related resources, and let us know how you're getting involved at www.YSA.org/ServiceVote 

Each week until Election Day, we'll feature one way young people can get involved during the election, and highlight related programs, resources, and stories. 

ServiceVote 12 for '12

Educate voters and engage candidates about an issue you care about.

Learn where the candidates stand on the issues you care about; share this information with your fellow citizens and join with them to discuss these issues with candidates. Download the ServiceVote: Educate Voters and Engage Candidates tipsheets and access other resources at: www.YSA.org/ServiceVote#3    

#Speak4Kids 

Two teens from California are spearheading a petition asking Michelle Obama and Ann Romney to speak for kids during their convention speeches. They are halfway to their goal of 30,000 signatures. Sign the petition asking Michelle Obama and Ann Romney to #Speak4Kids! http://chn.ge/OAcUP8  

#DontForgetEd 

As America's schools continue to fall behind those of almost every other industrialized nation, the issue of education is underplayed on the campaign trail. Help the Don't Forget Ed campaign get the candidates to prioritize education this election. http://bit.ly/NOuxtc  

Millennial Civic Engagement Summit Kicks Off Today

Starting today (8/24) at 3 PM ET and lasting until 4 PM ET on Sunday, Mobilize.org is hosting the Millennial Civic Engagement Summit: Our Generation, Our Communities. With the backdrop of the Presidential Election, millennials are gathering this weekend to discuss the most challenging issues facing our generation and to propose innovative solutions that can be implemented on campuses and in communities across the country.

Mobilize.org wants you to join the conversation, so starting at 8:45 am ET on Saturday, August 25th until 4 pm ET on Sunday, August 26th, you are invited to tune in to the live webcast and participate online.
 
The full summit schedule and speaker line-up can be found here. Watch the live webcast at www.mobilize.org/MCESummit and join in the discussion via Facebook and Twitter (#MCESummit). They'll be taking questions for all the fantastic speakers via Twitter, so please tweet questions using the #MCESummit handle.  

Grants & Awards 

UnitedHealth HEROES Service-Learning Grants

Accepting Applications: Sept. 4 - Oct. 15

YSA and UnitedHealthcare are inviting schools and other community-based nonprofit organizations to Step into Service by applying for UnitedHealth HEROES grants.  Grants of up to $1,000 are available for youth-led service-learning projects which aim to combat childhood obesity through walking, running or hiking programs. The online application will open on September 4, 2012 and will close on October 15, 2012.  YSA will hold webinars to help applicants through the application process and answer all of their questions.  The first webinar will be September 13th at 3:00pm Eastern -  Sign up here. For more information, visit www.YSA.org/HEROES 

Gladys Marinelli Coccia Award

Deadline: September 30

YSA is accepting nominations for the Gladys Marinelli Coccia Award, recognizing two exceptional young people, ages 13 to 22, who are actively engaged in social entrepreneurship and in leading sustainable social change. Social entrepreneurs apply business practices to achieve positive social change and measure their success through their social impact. Two honorees will be selected to receive $2,000 to support their social enterprise and receive resources and technical assistance from YSA. Nominees must be between the ages 13 and 22 at the time of nomination and be located in United States. One of the two honorees will be selected from the Washington, D.C. or West Virginia region. www.YSA.org/grants/coccia-awards    

NEA & Nickelodeon Big Help Grants

Deadline: October 15

Grants of up to $5,000 are available to educators at K-8 public schools for the development and implementation of approaches to four key concerns - environmentalism, health and wellness, students' rights to a quality education, and active community involvement. Applicants must be practicing U.S public school teachers or public school education support professionals. Grant funds may be used for resource materials, supplies, equipment, transportation, technology, or scholars-in-residence. http://bit.ly/RbPAJL  

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! Public high schools may apply for the grants to address teen driver safety through service-learning. Car crashes remain the number one cause of death for adolescents. Project Ignition is bringing together students, teachers and communities to create change. And they're saving lives. http://bit.ly/pKcD1c  

  

Resources & Trainings

2012 Mindset List

This month, almost 2 million first-year students will head off to college campuses around the country. Most of them will be about 18 years old, born in 1990. Each August for the past 11 years, Beloit College in Beloit, Wisconsin, has released the Beloit College Mindset List. It provides a look at the cultural touchstones that shape the lives of students entering college. http://bit.ly/O2s9So  

Little Free Library

At back to school time, here's a great literacy service project ideas & resource. Find information on how to promote literacy and the love of reading in your community by building free book exchanges worldwide. If you're inspired, you can join Little Free Library in their mission to build more than 2,510 libraries around the world. (Or check if there's already a Little Free Library near you!)  http://bit.ly/NFNVwK  

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  

24th Annual National Service-Learning Conference 

March 13-15, 2013 - Denver, CO 

Seasons of Service

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 

Song of the Week

Beyonce - "I Was Here" (United Nations World Humanitarian Day Performance) 

 

The Editor