[Congressional Bills 112th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 421 Agreed to Senate (ATS)]

112th CONGRESS
  2d Session
S. RES. 421

Designating April 20 through 22, 2012, as ``Global Youth Service Day''.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             April 17, 2012

 Ms. Murkowski (for herself, Mr. Begich, Mrs. Murray, Mr. Cochran, Ms. 
  Mikulski, Ms. Stabenow, Mr. Johnson of South Dakota, Mr. Akaka, Mr. 
 Coons, and Mr. Udall of Colorado) submitted the following resolution; 
                   which was considered and agreed to

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
Designating April 20 through 22, 2012, as ``Global Youth Service Day''.

Whereas Global Youth Service Day is an annual event that celebrates and 
        mobilizes the millions of children and young people who improve their 
        communities each day of the year through community service and service-
        learning projects;
Whereas Global Youth Service Day, a program of Youth Service America, is the 
        largest and longest-running service event in the world dedicated to 
        engaging youth ages 5 through 25;
Whereas, in 2012, Global Youth Service Day is being observed for the 24th 
        consecutive year in the United States and for the 13th year globally in 
        more than 100 countries;
Whereas nearly \1/3\ of the population of the United States (approximately 
        104,000,000 people) and nearly \1/2\ of population of the world is under 
        the age of 25;
Whereas Global Youth Service Day assists children and young people to position 
        themselves as active citizens and community leaders as they apply their 
        knowledge, skills, idealism, energy, creativity, and unique perspectives 
        to serve their communities and help address a myriad of critical issues;
Whereas thousands of students and teachers in conjunction with local schools, 
        colleges, and universities are planning Global Youth Service Day 
        activities as part of a Semester of Service, an extended service-
        learning campaign launched on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service, in 
        which young people spend the semester addressing a meaningful community 
        need connected to intentional learning goals or academic standards over 
        the course of not less than 70 hours;
Whereas Global Youth Service Day participants are serving in conjunction with 
        other community events, including Earth Day, J-Serve, Great American 
        Bake Sale National Challenge Weekend, National Volunteer Week, Kiwanis 
        One Day, Alpha Phi Omega's Spring Youth Service Day, Sigma Alpha 
        Epsilon's True Gentleman Day of Service, National Day of Silence, 
        National Environmental Education Week, National Park Week, National 
        Student Leadership Week, and World Malaria Day;
Whereas Global Youth Service Day engages millions of young people worldwide with 
        the support of the Global Youth Service Network of Youth Service 
        America, including more than 200 National and Global Partners, 125 State 
        and local Lead Agencies and Lead Organizers, and thousands of local 
        schools, afterschool programs, youth development organizations, 
        community organizations, faith-based organizations, government agencies, 
        businesses, neighborhood associations, tribes, and families;
Whereas Youth Service America will provide support to more than 800 schools and 
        community organizations, including State Farm GYSD Lead Agency and Good 
        Neighbor grants, UnitedHealth Heroes grants, Sodexo Foundation Youth, 
        Lead Organizer, and School Engagement grants, Disney Friends for Change 
        grants, and Learn and Serve America STEMester of Service grants;
Whereas, in 2011, youth volunteers who engaged in Global Youth Service Day 
        projects served an estimated 1,417,000 hours of service that benefitted 
        at least 885,000 individuals and contributed $30,267,120 worth of time 
        to their communities;
Whereas high-quality community service and service-learning programs increase--

    (1) the academic engagement and achievement of young people;

    (2) the workforce readiness and 21st century skills of young people;

    (3) the civic knowledge and engagement of young people;

    (4) the intercultural understanding and global citizenship of young 
people; and

    (5) the connectedness and commitment of young people to their 
communities; and

Whereas the National and Community Service Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 12501 et seq.) 
        calls on the Corporation for National and Community Service, other 
        Federal agencies and departments, and the President of the United States 
        to recognize and support youth-led activities: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the Senate--
            (1) recognizes and commends the significant contributions 
        of young people of the United States and the world and 
        encourages the continued engagement and support of young people 
        dedicated to serving their neighbors, their communities, and 
        their countries;
            (2) designates April 20 through 22, 2012, as ``Global Youth 
        Service Day''; and
            (3) calls on the people of the United States to observe 
        Global Youth Service Day by--
                    (A) encouraging young people to participate in 
                community service and service-learning projects and to 
                join their peers in those projects;
                    (B) recognizing the volunteer efforts of the young 
                people of the United States throughout the year; and
                    (C) supporting the volunteer efforts of young 
                people and engaging them in meaningful community 
                service, service-learning, and decision-making 
                opportunities as an investment in the future of the 
                United States.
                                 <all>