U.S. Department of Education Secretary Rod Paige was joined today by Deputy Assistant to the President and Director of USA Freedom Corps Desiree T. Sayle and Corporation for National and Community Service CEO David Eisner to launch a new website designed to show elementary and middle school students how they can start making a difference by volunteering.

The new website, www.usafreedomcorpskids.gov, also includes resources, ideas, and information to help parents and teachers engage America’s youth in their communities.

"When young people volunteer, they not only strengthen their communities, they also gain confidence in their own abilities, and learn responsibility and respect for others,” Sayle said. “This website provides ideas for students as they consider how to get started volunteering. The site also helps parents and teachers become actively involved in the volunteer work of their youngsters.”

“Since the earliest days of the Republic, Americans have embraced the virtues of hard work, charity, and community service,” Secretary Paige said. “And each generation of Americans has recognized its responsibility to pass these values on to the next generation. The message remains the same, but we are posting it where we know our children will see it - on the Internet.”

“This new website will challenge and inspire more young people to get involved in their communities,” Eisner said. “Whether participating in service-learning, or volunteering with family or friends, today’s announcement means more young Americans will experience the joy and duty of serving others.”

www.usafreedomcorpskids.gov includes four sections: for kids (elementary school students), youth (middle school students), parents, and teachers. The website includes volunteer ideas for youth, online games to show how volunteering can be fun and rewarding, service stories from the President and Mrs. Bush, and information on how to earn the President’s Volunteer Service Award. The site also has Internet links to other Federal websites about volunteering and sites designed for kids and youth, information on how to contact the President and USA Freedom Corps, resources for parents to find service projects for their child, and information for teachers about how to bring service-learning to their classroom or school.

USA Freedom Corps, a White House office, was created by President George W. Bush to strengthen and expand volunteer service opportunities as part of the President’s call to all Americans to dedicate two years or 4,000 hours over the course of their lifetimes to volunteer service.

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