[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 60 (Thursday, April 23, 2009)]
[Senate]
[Pages S4663-S4664]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                              GLOBAL YOUTH

  Ms. MURKOWSKI. Mr. President, I rise to speak about a resolution 
designating April 24 through 26, 2009, as Global Youth Service Days. S. 
Res. 105 recognizes and commends the significant community service 
efforts that youth are making in communities across the country and 
around the world on the last weekend in April and every day. This 
resolution also encourages the citizens of the United States to 
acknowledge and support these volunteer efforts. S. Res. 105 passed the 
Senate by unanimous consent on April 20, 2009. This sends a very strong 
message of support to the thousands of youth across our great Nation 
who are contributing positively to their communities your efforts are 
recognized and appreciated.
  Over the weekend, beginning this Friday, April 24, youth from across 
the United States and around the world will carry out community service 
projects in areas ranging from hunger to literacy to the environment. 
Through this service, many will embark on a lifelong path of service 
and civic engagement in more than 100 countries around the world.
  This event is not isolated to one weekend a year. 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.
  The participation of youth in community service is not just a nice 
idea for a way to spend a Saturday afternoon. All year long, young 
people across America, indeed across the globe identify and address the 
needs of their communities through community service and service-
learning opportunities. They make positive differences in the world 
around them, learn leadership and organizational skills, and gain 
insights into the problems of their fellow citizens.
  Youth who are engaged in volunteer service and service-learning 
activities do better in school than their classmates who do not 
volunteer because they see a direct connection to what they are 
learning and the real world in which they live. Youth who engage in 
volunteering and other positive activities are also more likely to 
avoid risky behaviors, such as drug and alcohol use, crime, and 
promiscuity. Service within the community also contributes positively 
to young people's character development, civic participation, and 
philanthropic activity as adults.
  A survey by Civic Enterprises found that 47 percent of high school 
dropouts reported that boredom in school was a primary reason why they 
dropped out. High quality service-learning activities can, however, 
help young people make important connections between the curriculum and 
the challenges they see in their communities.
  It is important, therefore, that the Senate encourage youth to engage 
in community service and to congratulate them for the service they 
provide.
  In an effort to recognize and support youth volunteers in my State, I 
am proud to acknowledge some of the activities that will occur this 
year in Alaska in observance of National and Global Youth Service Days:
  Anchorage's Promise, which works to mobilize all sectors of the 
community to build the character and competence of Anchorage's children 
and youth, has sponsored the annual Kids' Day 3-day events in Anchorage 
again this year. Youth provided significant service to their peers and 
to adults who attended Kids' Day activities last weekend:
  Students educated the public on the 5 Promises: Caring Adults, Safe 
Places, Healthy Start and Future, Marketable Skills, and Opportunities 
to Serve.
  Students from King Career Center served as volunteer safety patrols.
  Teens served as greeters and passed out bags, helped vendors set up 
their booths, and cleaned up during and after the event.
  Junior ROTC members provided security and helped with parking.
  Teens assisted Anchorage's Promise Board members with tours and 
Opening Ceremony activities.
  Three teens assisted the Kids in Nature Workshop for Parents and 
Caregivers instructor.
  One youth volunteer assisted staff at the Alaska Natural History 
Museum.
  Youth created cards to express support for our troops.

  In addition to the Kids' Day events, young people from every region 
of Alaska will serve their communities in the following ways:
  Youth volunteers, coordinated by Covenant House, will bring attention 
to the importance of conservation, recycling, and educate youth about 
Earth Day.
  Various youth service projects will be performed by Juneau youth at 
local nonprofits.
  Members of the Eagle River Boys & Girls Club provided ``kid power'' 
to fill 3000 Easter eggs.
  The Eielson Air Force Base Youth Programs' Inside & Out Club will 
clean to make it shine as much as the kids do.
  Youth volunteers, coordinated by the Anchorage Public Library, will 
help organize summer reading celebration materials.
  Youth at Chugiak High School have produced and will show a docudrama 
that simulates a drunk driving collision and help educate their peers 
about the dangers of drunk driving.
  Students at Steller Secondary School will provide the Covenant House 
residents with gift bags containing personal hygiene products.
  Alaska Youth and Family Network volunteers will promote personal 
responsibility for wellness that focuses on youth with behavioral 
health problems.
  Spirit of Youth volunteers from all across Alaska, including Thorne 
Bay, Ketchikan, Eagle River, Kodiak, Anchorage, Palmer, Juneau, 
Cantwell, Kasaan, Nenana, Nome, Shageluk, Cordova, Palmer, and Chugiak, 
will work with their peers and adults on projects as varied as sharing 
their artistic talents; organizing a potato feed fundraiser to help the 
local library; running a girls' study group; offering free babysitting, 
teaching Sunday school, and helping the elderly at the local hospital; 
raising money for youth activities and easing community tensions; 
improving the collective well-being of youth; including people with 
disabilities in social activities; teaching cheerleading and dance 
skills; coordinating canned food drives; honoring Haida culture through 
art and music; working with Native elders to retain Alaska Native boat 
making skills; responding to emergencies; restoring salmon habitat; 
learning about climate change and fire science; owning, operating, and 
crewing a seine fishing boat; giving teens a forum to discuss political 
issues; educating others about child labor; helping other youth to 
succeed in realizing their dreams; helping students with disabilities 
excel in physical education; and educating the public about domestic 
violence while advocating for justice and change.
  The Alaska Teen Media Institute will provide teens with the tools and 
training needed to produce their own stories told in their own voices 
to be shared through a variety of media.
  Members of the Mountain View Boys & Girls Club will kick off Mountain 
View Cleanup Day.

[[Page S4664]]

  Members of Alaska Youth Environmental Action attended the Civics and 
Conservation Summit in Juneau where they met with legislators to talk 
about issues they care about in their communities, including the 
Renewable Energy Campaign.
  The Anchorage Youth Parent Foundation Peer Outreach Workers will 
spread awareness of sexual assault in April by hosting an Art 
Competition at the POWER Teen Clinic.

  Mr. President, I am so proud of all of these young people. I value 
their idealism, energy, creativity, and unique perspectives as they 
volunteer to make their communities better and assist those in need.
  Many similarly wonderful activities will be taking place all across 
the Nation. I encourage all of my colleagues to visit the Youth Service 
America Web site--www.ysa.org_to find out about the selfless and 
creative youth who are contributing in their own States this year.
  I thank my colleagues Senators Akaka, Bayh, Begich, Bingaman, Brown, 
Burr, Cardin, Cochran, Collins, Cornyn, Dodd, Durbin, Feingold, 
Feinstein, Gillibrand, Gregg, Hagan, Hatch, Inouye, Johnson, Kennedy, 
Klobuchar, Landrieu, Lautenberg, Levin, Lieberman, Lincoln, Martinez, 
Menendez, Mikulski, Murray, Ben Nelson, Bill Nelson, Specter, and 
Whitehouse for standing with me as original cosponsors of this 
worthwhile legislation, which will ensure that youth across the country 
and the world know that all of their hard work is greatly appreciated.

                          ____________________