Appalachian Kentucky Service Year Impact Community initiative is one of 21 cradle-to-career partnerships that will advance equity and spread bold strategies to help children and families access opportunity and move up the economic ladder.

BEREA, KENTUCKY — Partners for Education at Berea College, a place-based organization dedicated to ensuring all Appalachian students succeed, has received $150,000 from StriveTogether, a national nonprofit working to bring communities together around data to make decisions and improve results for kids. The Appalachian Kentucky Service Year Impact Community initiative will use its grant award to implement a service year model in rural areas to improve educational outcomes and reduce disparity gaps in southeastern Kentucky.

“We believe the Commission’s mission to foster a greater ethos of military, national, and public service to strengthen American democracy presents a unique opportunity to bridge the civilian-military divide”, said Shirley Sagawa, CEO of Service Year Alliance.

Senator Harris Wofford will be remembered for his extraordinary public service — marching alongside Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., advising President Kennedy on civil rights, leading two colleges, and serving in the Senate. In fact, his own record of service in and outside of government makes it easy to overlook one of his most important legacies: calling other Americans to serve

WASHINGTON, DC (December 11, 2018) – Service Year Alliance announced today the launch of Service+Tech, an initiative aimed at increasing diversity within the technology industry and equipping the next generation of civic and political leaders with entrepreneurial and technical skills.  

Service+Tech was developed with the support of Schmidt Futures, a venture facility for public benefit founded by Eric and Wendy Schmidt. Cisco and SAP have also signed on as founding sponsors.

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WASHINGTON, DC (December 3, 2018) – Today, Service Year Alliance convened more than one hundred policy makers, thought leaders, service year employers, and opportunity youth at Busboys and Poets in the Brookland neighborhood of Washington, DC for the first-ever Service Year + Opportunity Youth Summit.

Opportunity youth, sometimes referred to as disconnected youth, comprise nearly five million American youth aged 16 – 24 who are neither in school nor employed. The Summit highlighted the role service years play in upskilling and creating career pathways, credentials, and social capital for opportunity youth.

We’re thrilled to be able to share the story of Kenvin Lacayo, who took his future into his own hands and seized an opportunity to transform his life.

Kenvin was unsure of his options after high school. Fortunately, he was introduced to a service year at The Literacy Lab’s Leading Men Fellowship, an experience that shaped his future. His service year allowed him to help others and make an impact in his community — all while paving a pathway to higher education.

We’re thrilled to be able to share the story of Xavier Jennings, who took his future into his own hands and seized an opportunity to transform his life.

Xavier had faced an uncertain future, going to six different high schools before he dropped out. Fortunately, he was introduced to a service year at Mile High Youth Corps’ YouthBuild, an experience that shaped his future. His service year allowed him to help others and make an impact in his community — all while paving a pathway to higher education.

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Hundreds of eagles rallied at U.S. Capitol today telling Congress to “Let National Service Soar”

In largest-ever rally for national service, advocates in inflatable eagle costumes called for expanding funding for AmeriCorps, the Peace Corps, and YouthBuild in the 2019 budget.

WASHINGTON, DC (May 7, 2018) – Today, over two hundred eagles and supporters of national service rallied at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, DC to tell Congress to “Let National Service Soar.” It was the largest rally ever for national service. Advocates dressed in large inflatable eagle costumes flapped their wings and “soared” around the Capitol grounds. They were telling Congress to expand funding for national service programs like AmeriCorps, the Peace Corps, and YouthBuild. Just as the bald eagle overcame extinction in the 1970s and is now thriving, advocates were fighting to overcome the extinction of national service in the President’s 2019 budget and expand it.

The eagles and national service advocates mobilized throughout the morning commute at six locations across DC including Dupont Circle, the White House, the Lincoln Memorial, and Union Station. The morning mobilization capped off with a rally at U.S. Capitol where national service advocates and alums from AmeriCorps and the Peace Corps spoke about the impact of national service on their lives and the communities they served.