[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 157 (2011), Part 5]
[Senate]
[Pages 6026-6027]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




   SENATE RESOLUTION 156--DESIGNATING APRIL 15 THROUGH 17, 2011, AS 
                     ``GLOBAL YOUTH SERVICE DAYS''

  Ms. MURKOWSKI (for herself, Mr. Begich, Mrs. Feinstein, Mr. Udall of 
Colorado, Mr. Akaka, Ms. Mikulski, Mr. Levin, Ms. Stabenow, Mr. 
Cochran, Mrs. Murray, and Mr. Coons) submitted the following 
resolution; which was considered and agreed to:

                              S. Res. 156

       Whereas Global Youth Service Days is an annual campaign 
     that celebrates and mobilizes the millions of young people 
     who improve their communities each day through community 
     service and service-learning programs;
       Whereas the goals of Global Youth Service Days are--
       (1) to mobilize and support young people to address the 
     needs of their communities, their countries, and the world 
     through community service and service-learning;
       (2) to mobilize and support schools and organizations to 
     provide meaningful opportunities for youth engagement;
       (3) to educate the public, the media, and policymakers 
     about the year-round contributions of young people as 
     community leaders;
       (4) to recognize and celebrate young people as community 
     assets, resources, leaders, and problem-solvers; and
       (5) to inspire and sustain a lifelong commitment to service 
     and civic engagement;
       Whereas Global Youth Service Days, a program of Youth 
     Service America, is the largest service event in the world 
     and the only service event dedicated to engaging young people 
     ages 5 through 25;
       Whereas, in 2011, Global Youth Service Days is being 
     observed for the 23rd consecutive year in the United States 
     and for the 12th year globally in more than 100 countries;

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       Whereas Global Youth Service Days provides an opportunity 
     for young people to position themselves as assets, resources, 
     active citizens, and community leaders through the 
     application of their knowledge, idealism, energy, creativity, 
     and unique perspective to improving their communities by 
     addressing a myriad of critical issues, such as childhood 
     obesity, illiteracy, hunger, environmental degradation, 
     public safety, and disaster preparedness;
       Whereas, in 2011, thousands of participants in schools and 
     community-based organizations plan to hold Global Youth 
     Service Days 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 at least 70 hours;
       Whereas Global Youth Service Days engages millions of young 
     people worldwide with the support of the Global Youth Service 
     Network of the Youth Service America, including more than 200 
     national and international partners, 100 State and local lead 
     agencies, and thousands of local schools, afterschool 
     programs, youth development organizations, community 
     organizations, faith-based organizations, government 
     agencies, businesses, neighborhood associations, and 
     families;
       Whereas, in 2011, Youth Service America intends to 
     distribute more than $1,000,000 in grants to more than 800 
     projects led by young people, including State Farm GYSD Lead 
     Agency and Good Neighbor grants, UnitedHealth Heroes grants, 
     Sodexo Youth and Lead Organizer grants, Disney Friends for 
     Change grants, Learn and Serve America STEMester of Service 
     grants, NEA Youth Leaders for Literacy grants, and MLK 
     Semester of Service Lead Organizer Grants;
       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 section 198(g) of the National and Community 
     Service Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 12653(g)) recognizes Global 
     Youth Service Days as national days of service and 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 
     on the designated days: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) recognizes and commends the significant contributions 
     of young people of the United States and encourages the 
     continued engagement and support of young people dedicated to 
     serving their neighbors, their communities, and the United 
     States;
       (2) designates April 15 through 17, 2011, as ``Global Youth 
     Service Days''; and
       (3) calls on the people of the United States to observe 
     Global Youth Service Days 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.

                          ____________________