FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE	Contact: Adam Telle
April 17 , 2007	(202)224-6408

WASHINGTON – Encouraging more youth to get involved in their communities and the world around them, today Senators Chris Dodd (D-CT) and Thad Cochran (R-MS) and Representative Rosa DeLauro (CT-3) introduced their Summer of Service bill in their respective Houses of Congress. The legislation encourages preteen and teenaged children to volunteer by creating a competitive grant program which enables states to offer students making the transition from middle to high school an opportunity to participate in structured community service programs over the summer months.  Senators John Kerry (D-MA) and Ted Stevens (R-AK) are cosponsors of the Senate bill.

“The positive influences of community service can been seen not only in the communities in need, but also in the lives of the students who participate,” said Dodd.  “When young people are part of service activities, they are more likely to strengthen their community connections, become more engaged in their studies, and avoid risky behaviors.  The Summer of Service Act will help make organized community service projects available to a greater number of students, help to improve communities nationwide and provide participants with experiences they can carry with them for the rest of their lives.”

“Helping to meet the needs of others can change young lives and rearrange priorities for the better,” said Cochran.  “The Summer of Service Act will provide support for structured community service opportunities to help young people around our country understand the importance of civic responsibility.  I am honored to join Senator Dodd in introducing legislation that could have a tremendous impact not only on our youth, but also the communities around them.”

“The Summer of Service will help expand educational opportunities for students and discourage what is commonly known as the ‘summer academic slide.’ It will instill at a young age the benefits of civic participation – a commitment to volunteerism which studies have shown will continue long beyond the conclusion of this single experience,” said DeLauro.  “Volunteerism should be promoted and encouraged for its benefits for both the individual and the community.”

The Summer of Service legislation employs service-learning models to teach civic participation skills, help young people see themselves as resources to their communities, and expand educational opportunities. The program encourages all youth, regardless of age, income, or disability, to engage in community service and grants educational awards of up to $500 to students who complete 100 hours of community service in any given summer. Summer of Service would fund both public and private-sponsored initiatives, and has been endorsed by Innovations in Civic Participation, Youth Service America, National Service-Learning Partnership, Camp Fire USA, Youth Volunteer Corps of America, Youth Volunteer Corps of America, State Education Agency K-12 Service-Learning Network (SEANet), National Network for Youth, The Corps Network, First Focus, and America’s Promise – The Alliance for Youth, along with several other organizations.