[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 55 (Tuesday, April 17, 2012)]
[Senate]
[Pages S2399-S2400]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   SENATE RESOLUTION 421--DESIGNATING APRIL 20 THROUGH 22, 2012, AS 
                      ``GLOBAL YOUTH SERVICE DAY''

  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:

                              S. Res. 421

       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;

[[Page S2400]]

       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.

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