Answer President-elect Obama's Call to Service by Participating in Semester of Service and Global Youth Service Day

“Next Monday is Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. And to honor the legacy of a man who lived his life as a servant to others, I will ask all Americans to make a renewed commitment to serving their communities and their country. On Monday, my family and the Biden family will spend time volunteering in neighborhoods around Washington. I am asking you to join us in that same spirit of service to others - no matter where you live. Because I'm not just asking you to take part in one day of service. I am asking you to make a lasting commitment to make better the lives of your fellow Americans - a commitment that must endure beyond one day, or even one presidency. At this moment of great challenge and great change, I am asking you to play your part; to roll up your sleeves and join in the work of remaking this nation. And if you do, then I truly believe a new and better day is within our reach.”
– President-elect Barack Obama, 1/14/09

Youth Service America’s Semester of Service and Global Youth Service Day provide opportunities for young people, ages 5-25, to answer President-elect Obama’s call to service. Semester of Service provides the framework and tools for children and youth from schools, colleges and universities, youth centers, and faith-based organizations to continue service started on MLK Day and sustain it over the course of the spring semester, providing time for youth to delve deeply into an issue and improve their communities. Global Youth Service Day (April 24-26, 2009) is the largest service event in the world and provides an opportunity for children and youth to join with millions of their peers around the world to improve communities and to raise awareness of service and the role of youth as community leaders.

Plan a Semester of Service or Global Youth Service Day project:

1. Download planning resources.

• The GYSD Project Planning Toolkit offers step-by-step, how-to directions for planning and implementing a service project.
• The GYSD Service-Learning Curriculum Guide is a guide for teachers and service-learning coordinators to use in implementing a high-quality service-learning project.
• The Semester of Service Strategy Guide is a service-learning curriculum linking MLK Day of Service with Global Youth Service Day.
• The GYSD Classroom Poster is a poster on the front and project planning guide on the back.
• Request free printed copies of the Semester of Service Strategy Guide and the GYSD Classroom Poster.

2. Register your project. Registering projects can help generate more volunteers, media attention, and recognition by public officials

• Register MLK Day projects at http://www.USAService.org
• Register Semester of Service and Global Youth Service Day projects at http://globalyouthserviceday.org/howtopost

3. Find funding.

• Learn more about YSA’s grant programs and sign up for YSA’s Grants Alert.
  
• Grant & award opportunities are also published weekly in the National Service Briefing.
• YSA also offers a free subscription to the weekly GrantStation Insider.