WHAT'S NEW

Last Chance to Attend the Idealism in Action Gala Honoring Governor Frank Keating and Recognizing the 2009 Idealists of the Year

The 2008 Idealists of the Year pose for a picture on stage.

It's not too late - you can still attend City Year Washington, DC's Idealism in Action Gala on Thursday, May 14 at 6:30pm at the Ronald Reagan International Trade Building. At the Gala, City Year Washington, DC will be awarding the 2009 Lifetime of Idealism Award to Governor Frank Keating for his distinguished career in public service. ABC News Contributor Sam Donaldson will present Governor Keating with the award. City Year will also recognize Washington, DC's most committed volunteers with the 2009 Idealist of the Year awards. Every table sponsor has the opportunity to nominate an employee as an Idealist of the Year who will be recognized at the Gala and featured in a June issue of National Journal. CLICK HERE to view the pre-Gala ad featured in the April 11 issue of National Journal.

There is still time to participate and attend this great event! Table sponsorships and limited individual tickets are still available. CLICK HERE for more information or contact Development Director Audra Clark.

HIGHLIGHTS

Save the Date: City Year Washington, DC’s June 19 Graduation

City Year corps member Josh Kaller recieves the WilmerHale Civic Innovation Award at Graduation 2008.

Join us for Graduation 2009 as we celebrate the 85 young idealists in the 2008-2009 City Year Washington, DC corps. Family, friends, and supporters can join City Year Washington, DC in acknowledging the hard work and dedication of these young leaders. Ward One Councilmember Jim Graham will speak at the event to share his words of advice and congratulate the corps members on their year of service. As corps members prepare for new and exciting chapters in their lives, graduation marks the beginning of a lifetime of service and leadership. CLICK HERE for more information.

FRIDAY, JUNE 19, 2009 @ 6:30 PM
AED Conference Center
1825 Connecticut Avenue, NW, 8th Floor
Washington, DC 20009

SPEAKER
Ward One Councilmember Jim Graham

PLEASE RSVP
to Stephanie Lloyd at
202.742.7361 or slloyd08@cityyear.org

City Year Engages More Than 250 Volunteers on Comcast Cares Day and Global Youth Service Day

On Saturday, April 25, City Year teamed up with Comcast to engage over 250 Comcast employees and community volunteers in service for Comcast Cares Day and Global Youth Service Day. Working at four different sites, including Upshur Recreation Center, MacFarland Middle School, Sharpe Health School, and Community Academy Public Charter School, volunteers were able to make a transformative improvement to the community. Throughout the day, volunteers painted murals and hallways, constructed flowerboxes, painted blacktop games, and landscaped the grounds. After a full days work, volunteers left the community a little brighter. Thanks to all our partners and volunteers for making the day a huge success!

Combating HIV in DC: HOPE Team Spotlight

According to the latest 2008 DC Epidemiology Annual Report, 3% of DC residents are reported to be living with HIV or AIDS. City Year Washington, DC is working with Metro TeenAIDS to lower this statistic through the HIV/AIDS Outreach, Prevention, and Education (HOPE) program. The HOPE program consists of a team of 14 diverse corps members who deliver a CDC-approved HIV prevention curriculum to over 3,000 DC students at all 17 DC public high schools. The team has been working hard this year to reach as many students as possible with this life-saving information.

Corps members Erin Connell and David Mosley run a VYBE Club session at Thurgood Marshall Public Charter School.

In addition to teaching the HIV/AIDS education curriculum during in-school time, an exciting element of the HOPE team's service this year has been the Visionary Youth Becoming Empowered (VYBE) after-school program. Active in five different DC high schools, VYBE provides DC students with an informal, safe, and fun atmosphere to discuss and learn about a range of health-related issues. Each club takes on its own unique structure based on the specific interests and personalities of its members. Corps member Erin Connell notes about the VYBE club she runs: "The focus of VYBE is to create a fun, inclusive, and safe environment for students to understand new ideas and learn more about themselves and specifically their values around health-related issues." The students really seem to enjoy the program.  One student recently said: "I think VYBE is great. You get to express yourself and have fun at the same time! We discuss things that may not have been discussed in our classes." City Year hopes that by continuing to implement the HOPE program, less young people will get infected with HIV and more young people will have the knowledge and resources to protect themselves and their families.

IN THE NEWS

USA Today Features Photo of City Year DC Corps Members

On April 14, USA Today reported that young people are volunteering more than ever before and many service programs are seeing an increase in applications. Quoting City Year CEO and Co-Founder Michael Brown, the article mentions that the latest generation is more prone to give back and do community service than previous generations. The article also includes a photo of City Year Washington, DC corps members Adrienne Shea, Josh Murphy, James Paradis, and Hal May in service at Francis-Stevens Educational Campus. CLICK HERE to see the picture and read the full article.

City Year Featured in Georgetown University Paper The Hoya

The Hoya, Georgetown University's newspaper, featured an article on April 23 about the recently passed Edward M. Kennedy National Service Act. In the article, City Year Executive Director Jeff Franco and corps member and Georgetown alumnus Lorenzo Francis described how City Year and other national service organizations will benefit from the Act. CLICK HERE to read the full article.