[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 57 (Monday, April 20, 2009)]
[Senate]
[Page S4450]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   SENATE RESOLUTION 105--DESIGNATING APRIL 24 THROUGH 26, 2009, AS 
                     ``GLOBAL YOUTH SERVICE DAYS''

  Ms. MURKOWSKI (for herself, Mr. Akaka, Mr. Bayh, Mr. Begich, Mr. 
Bingaman, Mr. Burr, Mr. Cardin, Mr. Cochran, Ms. Collins, Mr. Cornyn, 
Mr. Dodd, Mr. Durbin, Mr. Feingold, Mrs. Feinstein, Mrs. Gillibrand, 
Mr. Inouye, Mr. Kennedy, Ms. Klobuchar, Ms. Landrieu, Mr. Lautenberg, 
Mr. Levin, Mr. Lieberman, Mrs. Lincoln, Mr. Martinez, Mr. Menendez, Ms. 
Mikulski, Mrs. Murray, Mr. Nelson of Nebraska, Mr. Nelson of Florida, 
Mr. Specter, Mr. Whitehouse, Mr. Johnson, Mr. Hatch, Mr. Gregg, Mr. 
Brown, and Mrs. Hagan) submitted the following resolution; which was 
considered and agreed to:

                              S. Res. 105

       Whereas Global Youth Service Days is an annual public 
     awareness and education campaign that highlights the valuable 
     contributions that young people make to their communities 
     throughout the year;
       Whereas the goals of Global Youth Service Days are to 
     mobilize the youth of the United States to identify and 
     address the needs of their communities through community 
     service and service-learning opportunities, to support young 
     people in embarking on a lifelong path of volunteer service 
     and civic engagement, and to educate the public, the media, 
     and policymakers about contributions made by young people as 
     community leaders throughout the year;
       Whereas Global Youth Service Days, a program of Youth 
     Service America, is the largest service event in the world 
     and in 2009 is being observed for the 21st consecutive year 
     in the United States and for the 10th year in more than 100 
     countries;
       Whereas young people in the United States and in many other 
     countries are providing more volunteer service to their 
     communities than in any other generation in history, thereby 
     demonstrating that children and youth not only represent the 
     future of the world but are also leaders and assets today;
       Whereas recent research shows that when high quality, 
     semester-long service-learning is used as a teaching and 
     learning strategy that integrates meaningful community 
     service with the academic curriculum, it increases students' 
     cognitive engagement, motivation to learn, school attendance, 
     and academic achievement scores;
       Whereas several private foundations and corporations in the 
     United States support community service and service-learning 
     as a means for young people to explore career aspirations and 
     develop the leadership and career-preparedness skills that 
     are necessary for the United States to be competitive in the 
     21st century, including time management, decision-making, 
     teamwork, and problem solving;
       Whereas a fundamental and conclusive correlation exists 
     between youth service, character development, lifelong adult 
     volunteering, philanthropy, and other forms of civic 
     engagement;
       Whereas community service and service-learning provide 
     opportunities for youth to apply their knowledge, idealism, 
     energy, creativity, and unique perspectives to improve their 
     communities by addressing a myriad of critical issues, such 
     as poverty, hunger, illiteracy, education, natural disasters, 
     and climate change;
       Whereas a growing number of Global Youth Service Days 
     projects involve youth working collaboratively across borders 
     to address global issues, to increase intercultural 
     understanding, and to promote the sense that they are global 
     citizens;
       Whereas Global Youth Service Days engages millions of young 
     people worldwide with the support of 50 International 
     Coordinating Committee member organizations, more than 150 
     National Partners in the United States, 75 State and local 
     Global Youth Service Days Lead Agencies, and thousands of 
     local organizers; and
       Whereas both young people and their communities will 
     benefit greatly from expanded opportunities for youth to 
     engage in volunteer community service and service-learning: 
     Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) recognizes and commends the significant contributions 
     of the youth of the United States and encourages the 
     cultivation of a civic bond between young people dedicated to 
     serving their neighbors, their communities, and the Nation;
       (2) designates April 24 through 26, 2009, as ``Global Youth 
     Service Days''; and
       (3) calls on the people of the United States to observe 
     Global Youth Service Days by--
       (A) encouraging youth to participate in community service 
     and service-learning projects and joining youth in such 
     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.

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