National Service Briefing June 10

Disney's Friends for Change Grants
(Application Deadline: July 15)



Disney, together with YSA, is gearing up for this year's second round of applications for the Disney Friends for Change Grants. Friends for Change funds youth-led fall service projects that focus on making environmentally friendly changes and engaging youth, ages 5-18, as leaders in their community.

On behalf of Friends for Change, YSA will award 75 $500 grants to youth-led service initiatives around the world that demonstrate youth leadership and the commitment to making a positive impact on the environment. Eligible applicants will be asked to implement their projects between September and November and to connect their projects to International Coastal Cleanup Day, National Public Lands Day (both September 25), or other environmentally-focused days of service.

Disney Friends for Change Grants are open to schools, organizations, and individuals planning service projects. Applications submitted by younger children aged 5-14 are especially welcome. The goal of the grant is to inspire children to join their friends and families, schools, and communities to address critical environmental needs as "friends for change" at the local, national, and/or global levels. Disney's Friends for Change grants encourage kids everywhere to take steps together with their friends to help the planet.

Grant applications are due Thursday, July 15, 2010. YSA will host webinars on June 29 and July 6 for interested applicants to learn more about the application process.
Visit www.ysa.org/grants/announcements/disneys-friends-change-grants-deadline-july-15



NEWS FROM THE FIELD


United We Serve: Let's Read. Let's Move.
First Lady Michelle Obama and four Cabinet Secretaries, joined Patrick Corvington, CEO of the Corporation for National and Community Service to launch United We Serve: Let's Read. Let's Move. this week. The new initiative will get more Americans volunteering to combat childhood obesity and summer learning loss among youth. "The United We Serve Summer Service initiative is a nationwide effort calling on all Americans to make service a part of their daily lives," said Mrs. Obama. "We are asking individuals and community organizations, corporations, foundations and government to come together and devote their time and energy to help our kids stay active and healthy - and to keep them learning - all summer long." Let's Read. Let's Move. is an Administration-wide effort led by the Corporation to expand opportunities to engage young people in summer reading and physical activities as well as provide access to healthy, affordable food. To learn more about Let's Read. Let's Move., and how everyday Americans can make a difference, visit www.Serve.gov




Connect with NYLC's Generator School Network
NYLC's Generator School Network and its growing community of practitioners, is rapidly becoming a one-stop shop for all things related to high-quality service-learning. With 393 dedicated service-learning practitioners as registered users, 95 projects that follow the Service-Learning Cycle and 297 curricular resources, the GSN serves as a project organization tool and, increasingly, a space for practitioners to connect.
Membership is free and open to educators committed to the vision that high-quality service-learning should be part of the school experience for every student. As a member of the GSN, you can get a service-learning advisor, find project ideas, access professional development, and experience new multimedia tools. http://gsn.nylc.org



National Service Agency Announces 2010 AmeriCorps Grants
More than 325 organizations across the country will get a major boost in their efforts to address education, health, poverty, and other pressing social issues thanks to $234 million in federal AmeriCorps grants announced this week by the Corporation for National and Community Service. The grants will support more than 57,000 new AmeriCorps members who will serve with a wide range of national and local nonprofit organizations, community and faith-based groups, educational institutions, and Indian Tribes. Collectively, these members are projected to earn more than $154 million in Segal AmeriCorps Education Awards to help pay for college or to pay back student loans. More information, including a complete list of grants is available at www.nationalservice.gov/about/newsroom/releases_detail.asp?tbl_pr_id=1772




Summer Learning Day 2010 - June 21
National Summer Learning Day is Monday, June 21. Don't miss the opportunity to showcase your summer program and highlight the importance of summer learning in your community, along with hundreds of programs across the nation. This year marks the seventh annual celebration of Summer Learning Day, and will be the first year that Summer Learning Day is held on the first day of summer, June 21. Now is the time to start planning your Summer Learning Day event. This national advocacy day is a great opportunity to showcase your program and get the word out about the importance of summer learning. Host an event during the week of June 21 or anytime during the month of June. Find tools to help you plan your event and register at www.summerlearning.org/?page=summer_learning_day



The Case for Corporate Citizenship
The corporate sector is championing new ways to engage employees, give back to communities, and integrate civically responsible business practices into their operations. Over the next few weeks, NCoC will highlight some innovative cross-sector engagement models being used by businesses to institutionalize a culture of corporate civic responsibility. The first in this series of discussions, "The Case for Corporate Citizenship" highlights some bottom-line results of these efforts and features commentary from Stephen Jordan, Executive Director of the Business Civic Leadership Center at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. In preparation for this discussion series, NCOC wants to hear from you: What are some corporate civic engagement models and practices you have found to be effective, engaging, and sustainable?
http://ncoc.net/index.php?tray=content&tid=103ktop2&cid=103k41


GRANTS & AWARDS

Generations United's 9th Annual Intergenerational Photography Contest (Deadline: June 30)
Generations United is proud to announce its 9th Annual Intergenerational Photography Contest, "Stronger Together: Generations Side by Side." The 2010 contest runs until June 30, 2010. The contest is open to amateur photographers of ALL ages. For photographers under age 23 who do not have a camera: please send your name, age, address, email, and a short essay (200 words max) on why you should receive a camera and what intergenerational activity you are planning on capturing on it. Eight entries will be selected to receive a Canon PowerShot A460 Digital Camera. Learn more at www.gu.org/IG_Photo_Contest.asp



STEMester of Service Grants (Deadline: July 15)

Youth Service America is accepting applications for the second year of STEMester of Service. Funded by Learn and Serve America, a program of the Corporation for National and Community Service, STEMester of Service incorporates YSA's semester-long service-learning framework to engage educators and students in addressing critical environmental needs and connecting them to STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) curricula. YSA is seeking 10 middle schools with large populations of disadvantaged youth to join 20 returning STEMester of Service grantees. STEM schools must be located in one of the 12 states with highest dropout rates (Alaska, Arizona, Colorado, Delaware, Georgia, Illinois, Louisiana, Nevada, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, and Washington). The $5,000 grant (that includes travel and training at YSA's Youth Service Institute in Detroit in October) supports teachers as they engage local partners and guide students in addressing local needs through planning and implementing sustainable service projects that launch on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service (January 17, 2011) and culminate on Global Youth Service Day (April 15-17, 2011). www.ysa.org/grants/stem





Change for the Children Grants (Deadline: July 15)
DoSomething.org has teamed up with The Jonas Brothers Change for the Children Foundation to award project grants to individuals who are taking action in their communities across the U.S. and Canada. Do you have a sustainable community action project, program or idea that focuses on: the Special Olympics, Diabetes Awareness, or Volunteerism? Then these are the grants for you and your program! While projects that cover any cause are eligible to apply, special focus will be given to these three causes (the Jonas Brothers' causes!). Ten projects will receive $1,500 grants for their projects or organizations. All of the winners will be featured on DoSomething.org and ChangefortheChildren.org, and celebrated through various marketing platforms. www.dosomething.org/grants/changeforthechildren




For Previously Featured Grants & Awards, visit:
www.servicewire.org/nsb/Grants-and-Awards


PROFILES IN SERVICE
EVERYDAY YOUNG HEROES


Everyday Young Hero Mitch Arnold a Candidate for PEOPLE All-Stars Among Us Program
A previous Everyday Young Hero, Mitch Arnold, was selected by PEOPLE Magazine as one of three finalists to represent the Milwaukee Brewers in the People All-Stars Among Us program to honor community service leaders in America. As a finalist in the People All-Stars program, he needs Internet-based votes to be the Brewers' representative at the People All-Stars events at this year's MLB All-Star Game in Anaheim, Calif.

To help Mitch out, please go to www.peopleallstars.com and click on the Milwaukee Brewers tab. Then place your vote for Mitch. You are welcome to vote as many times as you would like (after voting, you can refresh the screen and vote again) through June 20. The final votes will be tallied and revealed on June 20.

Mitch created the Peace Is the Goal foundation in October 2006 at the age of 13. Since then, he has shipped more than $20,000 worth of soccer equipment to needy children in 36 countries. Mitch works three jobs in order to earn the money that funds Peace Is the Goal. Peace Is the Goal has directly impacted more than 10,000 kids on five continents. Mitch continues to make the world a better place to live in by spreading the message of peace and giving through "the world's game", soccer. Mitch chose soccer as the basis for his initiative because of his lifelong love of the game and the fact that so many kids around the world play the sport.



Everyday Young Hero Jordyn Schara Selected for Parade Magazine's "All-America Service Team"
A previous Everyday Young Hero and Get Ur Good On grant winner, Jordyn Schara, was recently established the first Prescription Pill Drug Disposal (P2D2) program in Wisconsin that has led to the safe disposal of more than 800 pounds of medications during two collections, an array of awards from local organizations, scholarships for college and a spot on Parade magazine's "All-America Service Team" for the North Freedom teen. Parade, a national magazine with a total circulation of 32 million, which appears in the Daily Register on Saturday, will feature a story about 15 high school students from across the United States who have shaped their communities positively through service in this week's issue. The youth leaders will be recognized at a ceremony in Washington, D.C., this month. It won't be the first time Schara has ventured across the country for a service award, but she said it's not really why she engages in her community so regularly. www.wiscnews.com/portagedailyregister/news/local/article_b88f3d74-6e02-11df-8650-001cc4c002e0.html



Nominate an Everyday Young Hero
Each week, YSA features an Everyday Young Hero in the National Service Briefing. Everyday Young Heroes are youth leaders, ages 5-25, who identify a need in their community, address it through service, mobilize their peers and community partners, and engage the media and elected officials. Everyday Young Hero Award winners receive a certificate and award letter, and will be featured on YSA's website and in the National Service Briefing. Youth selected as Everyday Young Heroes are also considered for YSA's other awards, including YSA Service Stars and the Harris Wofford Award. To nominate a young person who has improved their community through service, please visit www.YSA.org/awards/hero


TOOLS, TRAINING, RESOURCES & RESEARCH

Lift: Raising the Bar for Service-Learning Practice

NYLC just launched the newest module in their interactive tool Lift: Raising the Bar for Service-Learning Practice. The second in a series of eight, the reflection module provides educators with resources to help them understand and implement one of the most important aspects of a quality service-learning project.Lift: Raising the Bar for Service-Learning Practice is an online interactive tool built around the eight K-12 Service-Learning Standards for Quality Practice. In Lift, NYLC presents the standards within the context of three schools - all differing in focus, grade level, and geography. These examples highlight strategies for implementing each standard, provide points of discussion for you and your colleagues, and give you access to tools to help in your implementation of quality service-learning. To access this tool, join the Generator School Network (free) at http://gsn.nylc.org





Latest Colleagues Issue Focuses on Service-Learning
The latest Colleagues Magazine has a special focus on service learning with K-12 students. Read excellent articles from national leaders on service learning, including Cathryn Berger Kaye and Shelley Billig: Cathryn Berger Kaye explains effective methods of utilizing service learning techniques in the classroom and Shelley Billig provides explanations from the research on service learning. http://colleaguesplus.com/latest-news/latest-colleagues-issue-service-learning.html





Youth Council Counsel
This recent blog from Anderson Williams of Cascade Educational Consultants explores effective youth council strategies: "Part of the opportunity and the challenge of working with youth councils (and youth generally) is that we adults come to the game with very good intentions, but too often with very stale models or without a clear vision of what we really want. We have what I call a massive 'intentions-to-practice gap.' ... Effective youth councils are far more complex than we typically prepare for. So, in order to help close the intentions-to-practice gap, and in order to provide better and more lasting opportunities for our young people and therefore more sustainable communities and a stronger democracy, I offer you the following considerations before you start a council or revamp your existing one: ..." Read more at: http://bit.ly/b3nyJ6


SERVICE CALENDARS

Conferences & Events



2010 Grab the Torch Philanthropy Camp - Scholarship Available
June 26 - July 2, 2010
Colorado Springs, CO

GTT's Philanthropy Camp is a six day overnight camp at The Fountain Valley School in Colorado Springs CO, June 26 - July 2 . The camp provides a in-depth experience to prepare the next generation for their role in the global greater good. Listen to non-profit leaders, foundation directors, international volunteers, cause related marketing specialists, social entrepreneurs and many others. The program provides a real life organic experience for the global greater good. Join students (freshmen in high school to rising college freshmen) from around the country. The 2010 camp will include 2 nights at FVS's Mountain Campus in Mount Princeton. http://grabthetorch.com/

2010 Grab the Torch Philanthropy Camp Youth Service America Scholarship Available This scholarship is named for Steve Culbertson, YSA's President & CEO. His kind spirit, leadership in non-profit work, commitment to the global greater good and compassion to help others is a model for our campers. Mr. Culbertson's The scholarship is available to any YSA student or alum between the age of 16 (by June 26 2010) and 19. Candidates will be selected on essay content and must have a recommendation from a teacher, dean, YSA employee or school principal. This scholarship donated by Grab The Torch. Complete the regular application at the website above and contact Mike Man, YSA's Manager of Outreach, at mman@ysa.org for more information about the scholarship opportunity.



Conference Calendar: www.servicewire.org/conferences

If you'd like your 2010 conference or event to be included, please e-mail the name, date, and location (city, state) of the conference to dmiranda@ysa.org with the subject line "NSB Conference." Include a short blurb/description of the conference and the website you want people to be directed to.



Seasons of Service


June 2010

National Family Month - May 9 - June 20

World Day Against Child Labor - June 12

World Blood Donor Day - June 14

World Refugee Day - June 20

National Summer Learning Day - June 21



Seasons of Service Calendar: www.servicewire.org/seasonsofservice

If you'd like your annual campaign/awareness event to be included, please e-mail the name, date, and location (city, state) of the event to dmiranda@ysa.org with the subject line "Seasons of Service." Include a short blurb/description of the event and the website you want people to be directed to.



QUOTE OF THE WEEK



"Leadership should be born out of the understanding of the needs of those who would be affected by it."
- Marian Anderson



Best,