YAC Members Act Locally on Global Youth Service Day

NYLC's Youth Advisory Council members made a wide-spread, concerted effort to address local community needs during Global Youth Service Day, April 23-25, 2010. While the YAC members primary duties include offering national trainings, advising NYLC, and promoting service-learning across the country, this group of servant-leaders, ages 14-21, also makes a commitment to participating in hands-on service in their local communities.

YAC members planned their own service activities and used Facebook as a medium for sharing their work — posting frequently to engage their friends.

"They were all really excited about this effort," said Mason Fong, NYLC AmeriCorps Promise Fellow. "Since the YAC members are spread all over the country, from Portland to St. Paul to Belding, this was very far-reaching."

Examples of the YAC's Global Youth Service Day activities include:

Kimberly Kaza, of Oak Creek, Wis., continued her ongoing work with Edgewood Elementary's A.S.P.I.R.E. program. "I help kids with their school work and social skills. It was absolutely amazing to teach these kids ... and they, as well as myself, learned a lot," she said. During Global Youth Service Day the students showcased their work at their school's multicultural day. "It was so much fun ... to see the look of accomplishment on the students' faces when it was all done," Kaza reflected.

Pajnucci Vue, of St. Paul, Minn., presented a workshop at a regional PeaceJam event in partnership with three other YAC members. Held at the University of Minnesota and featuring Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Rigoberta Menchu Tum, the workshop focused on the academic achievement gap. "The intent of the workshop was to show what the achievement gap is through a simulation, bring more awareness of how big it is, and figure out ways to lessen the gap, if not close it completely," Vue said.

Kelsey West, of Portland, Ore., continued her involvement in the youth-initiated and youth-driven Youth United Build, organized by Habitat for Humanity Portland and Metro East. The program brings together youth, ages five through 25, to fully fund and build a home for a family in need. West, a member of the 12-student Steering Committee, has spent nearly a year planning and fundraising for the effort. "I find this work meaningful because it gives youth the opportunity to create a visible improvement, a family's home, in their community. It was especially fun being out there building on the Global Youth Service Day because I was part of a movement… It was a long, tiring day, but there was so much energy on site," West said.

"With all of the YAC members sharing and reflecting on Facebook, it was easy to get a sense of how each project done locally can have a national impact," said Sarah Ullmer, NYLC's Youth Initiatives Manager.

For more information about NYLC's Youth Advisory Council, visit www.nylc.org.

For more information about Global Youth Service Day, visit www.gysd.org.

Kelsey West helps build a house with Youth United Build on Global Youth Service Day.