In This Issue:

YPII News

   § 2008 YP Jam: Save the Date, July 10-11
   § YP Ambassadors for Your Community

Young Hoosier Philanthropist

   § Brittany Dunlavy

Tools & Resources

   § Governor's Conference on Service & Volunteerism

   § Save the Earth Now Resource

Ways to Give & Serve

   § The Power of Children Awards: Making a Difference

   § Join the Students Serve College Alliance Network

   § President's Volunteer Service Award

   § Seasons of Service

2008 YP Jam: Save the Date, July 10-11
An exciting, action-packed theme focusing on civic engagement makes this election-year conference a timely event.  The 2008 YP Jam will be held July 10-11 on the campus of Butler University in Indianapolis.  Now is the time to start gathering your organization's team of youth and adults to attend this year.  Brochures with full details will be available soon and updates are always available at http://www.ypin.org/ct_ypjam.htm.  Mark your calendar and plan to attend!

YP Ambassadors for Your Community
Recommendations are now being accepted for the Youth Philanthropy Ambassadors spring orientation.  The training will be held Friday, April 25, 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at a to-be-announced location in northern Indiana.  YP Ambassadors will be equipped with valuable tools that will enable them to serve their local communities by promoting the concept of philanthropy among children, youth and young adults.  Thanks to our generous sponsors, this high-quality event is available for a nominal fee of $20.00 per participant.  Attendees will receive nearly $1,000 worth of resources to use in their organizations and local communities.  To make a recommendation, visit http://www.ypin.org/ambassadors_overview.htm.

Young Hoosier Philanthropist: Brittany Dunlavy
Brittany Dunlavy, a junior at Eastern Hancock High School, has been awarded the 2007 Martha Beckenholdt Youth Philanthropy Award by Hancock County Community Foundation's Board of Directors.  Brittany received the honor in light of her gifts of time, talent and energy to philanthropic endeavors.

The award, established in 1996, is presented to a junior at one of four Hancock County high schools each year.  Brittany was selected for her advocacy of healthy lifestyles, which she demonstrates with participation in VOICE, Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD), Eastern Hancock Wellness Committee, DARE, Students Against Tobacco and her school's peer tutoring program.  In recognition of her outstanding community service, a $500 grant will be awarded to SADD by the Community Foundation in Brittany's name.

Governor's Conference on Service & Volunteerism
An upcoming conference can help you learn more about how to involve youth in community service, promote volunteerism in youth agencies, and encourage philanthropy.  The Governor's Conference on Service and Volunteerism will be held March 25-26 in Indianapolis.  The event is hosted by the State of Indiana's Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives and will feature eight separate tracks: Mobilizing More Volunteers, Engaging Students in Communities through Service Learning, Ensuring a Brighter Future for All of America's Youth, Harnessing Baby-Boomers' Experience, Addressing Local Needs through National Service, Empowering Indiana's Faith-Based Organizations, Training Indiana's Next Generation of Philanthropists and Building Organizational Capacity.  

For more information, visit http://www.in.gov/ofbci/2472.htm.

Save the Earth Now Resource
Plan ahead for Earth Day (April 22) by getting a copy of Save the Earth Now, a K-12 resource that addresses environmental stewardship and philanthropy.  Save the Earth Now is a comprehensive guide for teachers, educators, parents, youth workers and faith-based organizations that educates youth about the importance of environmental stewardship.  It includes grade-specific lesson plans which provide all the necessary materials needed to engage youth in the topic of environmentalism: global warming and recycling, management of natural resources, animal ethics, wilderness preservation and activism.  This resource is made possible by a grant from the Nina Mason Pulliam Charitable Trust.  Please email Kiran Tahir at ktahir@indianagrantmakers.org to order, or call Eileen Ryan, Program Director, for more information at 317.630.5200.  

The Power of Children Awards: Making a Difference
Do you know a young person making an extraordinary difference in the lives of others?  Does she benefit her community through volunteerism and a demonstration of good citizenship?  Then nominate that youth for The Children's Museum of Indianapolis' Power of Children awards.  Recommendations are now being sought throughout Indiana for youth in grades 6-11.  Deadline for nominations is March 14.

The purpose of the awards is to help children and families realize that while some children are recognized nationally and internationally for their actions, there are many in our own communities whose good deeds too often go unnoticed.  Award recipients will receive a $2000 cash reward to continue their extraordinary work and receive a post-secondary educational scholarship to an Indiana-based institution of higher learning.

Please visit http://www.childrensmuseum.org/special_events/powerofchildren/index.htm for more information and to download a nomination form.  You may also call the museum's Customer Service Center at 317.334.4000 to receive the information by mail.

Join the Students Serve College Access Network
Students Serve is a national nonprofit organization that provides service-learning grants to individual college students.  The organization is forming a College Alliance Network of volunteer/community service departments at colleges around the country.  To learn more, visit http://www.studentsserve.org.

President's Volunteer Service Award
The President's Volunteer Service Award, created by The President's Council on Service and Civic Participation, is a way to thank volunteers for their commitment to community service.  It recognizes individuals, families and groups that have achieved a certain number of volunteer hours over the course of a year or lifetime. 

For more information, visit http://www.presidentialserviceawards.gov/. 

Seasons of Giving and Serving
February 11-19: Random Acts of Kindness Week
April 22: Earth Day
April 25-27: National & Global Youth Service Day
April 27-May 3: National Volunteer Week