Youth Service America Is Offering Funding For Youth-Led Service Campaigns For Global Youth Service Day 2009
By Christina Wessell
WASHINGTON—(September 2, 2008) – Youth Service America, a national nonprofit organization that  seeks to improve communities by increasing the number and diversity of young people, ages 5 through 25, serving in important roles, is offering 100 grants of up to $1,000 to support youth-led service-learning projects around Global Youth Service Day 2009. Educators and school-based service-learning coordinators across the United States and Canada (select provinces) are encouraged to apply. The application deadline for the State Farm® Good Neighbor Service-Learning grants is October 15, 2008. “State Farm supports programs and processes that demonstrate the ability to impact student achievement and the grants offered by YSA do just that,” says Kathy Payne, Senior Director – Education Leadership at State Farm. “Research supports service-learning’s effectiveness in impacting student engagement and academic achievement. We’re excited to see the results and the positive impact these grants will have on communities and schools across the United States and Canada.” “Service-learning engages students in classroom learning in ways that foster academic achievement and increase motivation to learn,” says Steve Culbertson, president and CEO of Youth Service America. “With the yearly support from State Farm Companies Foundation for our service-learning programs, these grants are a promising way to create a new generation of youth who are academically prepared for success in college and who possess a strong sense of civic responsibility,” Culbertson added. For the State Farm Good Neighbor Service-Learning Grant application, please visit: www.YSA.org/awards. Spanning three days, April 24, 25 and 26, 2009, GYSD is the largest service event in the world and involves young people, ages 5-25, from schools, community organizations, and congregations of faith. Youth volunteers will address critical problems, such as climate change, literacy, poverty, human rights, high school dropout rates, malaria, and many other issues.  State Farm Good Neighbor Service-Learning grantees are encouraged to develop a 14-week service-learning project that launches on the Martin Luther King Day of Service, January 19, 2009, and culminates on the weekend of GYSD. For more information: www.YSA.org/semester. # # # About State Farm Companies Foundation The State Farm Companies Foundation is a tax-exempt private foundation that was established in 1963 and is funded by State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company.  State Farm Companies Foundation provides charitable support for K-12 public education initiatives that are national in scope in the areas of systemic improvement, service-learning, and teacher excellence. For more information about State Farm Companies Foundation, please visit www.statefarm.com/about/part_spos/part_spos.asp. About Youth Service America: Youth Service America seeks to improve communities by increasing the number and diversity of young people, ages 5-25, serving in important roles. Founded in 1986, YSA is an international nonprofit resource center that partners with thousands of organizations in more than 100 countries to expand the impact of the youth service movement with families, communities, schools, corporations, and governments.  For more information: www.YSA.org. Contact:    Christina Batcheler                        Youth Service America        202-296-2992 x 128        cbatcheler@ysa.org
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