Yesterday, our Executive Director Chris Golden was at a Celebration of Service for the 2011 PARADE All-American High School Team. Here’s his blog post wrapping up the event:

chris-golden:

When you open your copy of PARADE Magazine in the Sunday paper this weekend, you’ll find the story of 15 inspiring young people between the ages of 16-18, who are were selected as a part of the 2011 Parade All-American Service Team, picked by the Magazine and generationOn, a division of the Points of Light Institute. 

On Tuesday, I had the opportunity to meet them at a service celebration held at Washington’s Newseum, keynoted by US Education Secretary Arne Duncan. (see photo, below). In this time of great challenge for the service sector, as we balance expanded need from a stubborn jobless recession and enormous fiscal restraints which threaten the strategic goals we authorized just two years ago, it was a moment to come together and remember exactly why we do the work that we do.

Photo Above: Education Secretary Arne Duncan delivers keynote remarks

In many ways, the stories of the award winners are similar. Each student described themselves as normal. Of course, we know they are anything but. Each saw a need in their community (defined broadly as place where they grew up, nation as a whole, or world). Each took action and, in the process, each knocked down some barriers and withstood pressure from those would have preferred they not become involved. And each succeeded, and continues to succeed, in their tasks. 

Their stories echo the power and potential of youth service in America:

• Joe Burgum, 18, who has collected 300 tons of food and $225,000 in donations for North Dakotans in need
• Jonny Cohen, 16, founder of GreenShields, which is working to reduce the carbon emission of school busses (and, like myImpact.org, a Pepsi Refresh Project grantee)
• Grace Li, 16, who founded We Care Act to raise awareness & support following devastating earthquakes in China 
• Rujul Zaparde, 16, who co-founded a non-profit called Drinking Water for India and has paid for the construction of 31 wells to date

Photo above: The Award-Winning Team

Recognition of ordinary people, especially young people, who are doing amazing things is extraordinarily important and generationOn, PARADE, and Points of Light deserve a lot of credit for their hard work in doing so. Even The White House sent a representative to the awards ceremony, Ronnie Cho, who is the Administration’s new liaison to young Americans. 

But recognition and support is only one piece. If you asked any of the award winners, I’m sure they would say that they would much rather have preferred to give up their moment in the spotlight in order to ensure that their efforts are sustainable in the long-term and actually solve the problems that they seek to address. This sentiment was expressed in a Q&A with the award winners after they were honored. We need to shift the conversation from ‘what happened?’ to ‘what changed?’, we have to look at engagement in a much broader context, we have to think about the barriers that are preventing some young people from even having the opportunity to turn an idea into a reality like this award winners have. It starts with making sure that young people have a seat at the table and that their (our) voices are heard.

Photo above: Youth Service America President Steve Culbertson introduces award winners in the environment category. 

For more information on the award winners and to see behind-the scenes photos and videos from PARADE Magazine, visit parade.com/service

To learn more about generationON and Points of Light institute visit www.generationon.org and www.pointsoflight.org  

heartmob:

I did something that I normally would’ve not done. I answered a Craigslist ad for a volunteer.

How It Happened

I realized that I had some free time in the late afternoon, and wanted to see if there would be any quick-hit or micro-volunteer opportunities. Someone mentioned that Craigslist…

Craigslist isn’t just a place for buying and selling concert tickets and cheap furniture. It can be used for volunteer opportunities, too!

With all of the media hype leading up to the royal wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton, it seemed more like the next big celebrity wedding, doomed to be failed and every action caught by the paparazzi. After the big day, it seemed as though we just could not stop talking about it (myImpact has to admit that we did liken NCVS to the royal wedding of national conferences). Alas, Will and Kate have proved us wrong, actively involving themselves in philanthropies, recently touring Canada for the 2011 Calgary Stampede, and doing their part as Their Royal Highnesses, The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. Next Stop: Los Angeles, California.

Will and Kate will be present at the Sony Pictures Studios in Culver City, California this Sunday, July 10. No, it is not just another photo opportunity where everyone can analyze William’s receding hairline or one of Kate’s big hats, but rather they will be supporting ServiceNation: Mission Serve as it hosts Hiring our Heroes Los Angeles, a veteran and military spouses hiring fair. Mission Serve is teaming up with the Chamber of Commerce, USO and other organizations to bring 155 employers and 20 non-profits providing services, along with more than 1500 job seekers. The royal couple will also join a service project to create 1,000 care packages for military children, as well as attend a reception for supporters and champions of the cause.

Mission Serve, ServiceNation’s civilian-military initiative, is a network of organizations dedicated to bringing together civilian and military communities through service and volunteerism. It is looking for donations of any amount to these veterans and their military families. With over 100,000 veterans unemployed in California alone, donations would really benefit these families and thank them for their service.

Donations can be made online or texting MISSION to 85944 to donate $10. Checks can also be sent via snail mail made out to Be the Change Inc. to:

Be the Change Inc., 2 Canal Park, Cambridge, MA 02141

Easy and simple. And Kate would approve.

Follow Mission Serve on Twitter and Facebook to get full updates on the royal couple’s whereabouts when they land in sunny LA.

Over its 12-year history, LIFT has helped more than 40,000 individuals and families on a path out of poverty, according to the LIFT communities website. LIFT’s program year comes to a close tomorrow, and the organization has served 9,000 clients this year - 30% more than last year.

According to a LIFT e-newletter, they have also increased their presence in all of their regions with new office openings and expansions and have received support from MTV, Boston’s mayor, Ben Harper and many others!

LIFT is a growing movement to combat poverty and expand opportunity for all people in the United States. LIFT currently runs centers staffed by trained volunteers in Boston, Chicago, New York, Philadelphia, and Washington, DC, to serve low-income individuals and families.

LIFT clients and volunteers work one-on-one to find jobs, secure safe and stable housing, make ends meet through public benefits and tax credits, and obtain quality referrals for services like childcare and healthcare. Simultaneously, the LIFT experience pushes volunteers to grapple with our country’s most challenging issues related to poverty, race, inequality, and policy. Since LIFT’s founding, over 6,000 volunteers have served more than 40,000 individuals and families.

Live in Philadelphia, New York, Chicago, Boston or Washington, DC? Then click here to become a LIFT volunteer!