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[Congressional Bills 111th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 353 Engrossed in House (EH)]

H. Res. 353

                In the House of Representatives, U. S.,

                                                           May 5, 2009.
Whereas Global Youth Service Days is an annual public awareness and education 
        campaign that highlights the valuable contributions that young people 
        make to their communities year-round;
Whereas the goals of Global Youth Service Days are to--

    (1) mobilize the youth of the United States to identify and address the 
needs of their communities through community service and service-learning 
opportunities;

    (2) support young people in embarking on a lifelong path of volunteer 
service and civic engagement; and

    (3) educate the public, the media, and policymakers about contributions 
made by young people as community leaders throughout the year;

Whereas Global Youth Service Days, a program of Youth Service America, is the 
        largest service event in the world and in 2009 is being observed for the 
        21st consecutive year in the United States and for the 10th year in more 
        than 100 countries;
Whereas young people in the United States and in many other countries are 
        providing more volunteer service to their communities than in any other 
        generation in history, thereby demonstrating that children and youth not 
        only represent the future of the world, but are also leaders and assets 
        today;
Whereas recent research shows that high quality, semester-long service-learning, 
        when used as a teaching and learning strategy that integrates meaningful 
        community service with academic curriculum, increases students' 
        cognitive engagement, motivation to learn, school attendance, and 
        academic achievement scores;
Whereas a fundamental and conclusive correlation exists between youth service, 
        character development, lifelong adult volunteering, philanthropy, and 
        other forms of civic engagement;
Whereas community service and service-learning provide opportunities for youth 
        to apply their knowledge, idealism, energy, creativity, and unique 
        perspectives to improve local communities by addressing critical issues 
        such as poverty, hunger, illiteracy, education, natural disasters, 
        climate change, and many others;
Whereas a growing number of Global Youth Service Days projects involve youth 
        working collaboratively across national boundaries to address global 
        issues, to increase intercultural understanding, and to promote the 
        sense that they are global citizens;
Whereas Global Youth Service Day engages millions of young people worldwide with 
        the support of 50 International Coordinating Committee member 
        organizations, over 150 U.S. National Partners, 75 local and statewide 
        Global Youth Services Days lead agencies, and thousands of local 
        organizers; and
Whereas both young people and their communities will benefit greatly from 
        expanded opportunities for youth to engage in volunteer community 
        service and service-learning: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) recognizes and commends the significant contributions of youth 
        of the United States and encourages the cultivation of a civic bond 
        between young people dedicated to serving their neighbors, their 
        communities, and the Nation;
            (2) supports the goals and ideals of Global Youth Services Days 
        2009; and
            (3) calls on the citizens of the United States to--
                    (A) observe the day by encouraging youth to participate 
                community service and service-learning projects and by joining 
                them in such projects;
                    (B) recognize the volunteer efforts of the young people of 
                the United States throughout the year; and
                    (C) support the volunteer efforts of young people and engage 
                them in meaningful community service, service-learning, and 
                decision-making opportunities today as an investment in the 
                future of the United States.
            Attest:

                                                                          Clerk.
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