DeLauro Honors Global Youth Service Day

Washington, DC- Congresswoman Rosa L. DeLauro (CT-3) gave the following remarks today on the floor of the United States House of Representatives to honor Global Youth Service Day, a public awareness and educational campaign to recognize the impact young people are having on their communities though public service. Established in 1988, Global Youth Service Day is celebrated in over 100 countries, making it the largest youth service event in the world.

I rise in support of this resolution, honoring and supporting the goals and ideals of Global Youth Service Day, which took place this past weekend. I want to commend my colleague, Representative Ehlers for taking the lead in co-sponsoring this important resolution.

Global Youth Service Day is public awareness and education campaign led by Youth Service America with the National Youth Leadership Council and the Global Youth Action Network. It emphasizes the importance of public service. It highlights the valuable contribution that young people make to their communities all year long.

In the words of Ghandi, "The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service to others." That is a simple truth that animates Global Youth Service Day. By mobilizing young people around the world to identify and address the needs of their neighbors, by supporting their community service and by civic engagement efforts, we not only help our communities to thrive, we help the next generation to find themselves through service and commitment to a greater good.

This past weekend, young people all around the world designed and carried out community service projects in areas ranging from literacy and mentoring to the environment and energy conservation to hunger and homelessness. This year saw 2,631 projects in 87 countries in all 50 states. We often say that service is its own reward, but it actually has the benefit of being true. In addition to the positive results these projects have on our communities, research shows that young people who participate in community service also enjoy increased civic engagement, they do better in school by recognizing the interdependence of their community, they become more independent, more grounded, more cognizant of the world around them. They become better citizens.

This cycle of service and citizenship is why we passed the Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act one year ago last week, to offer young people more opportunities to serve their nation. It is why we continue to encourage our young men and women to become deeply involved in the lives, health and education of our communities. Through such programs as AmeriCorps, Teach for America, Summer of Service. It is why we honor the passion and the sacrifice of those young Americans who choose to make a difference in distant lands such as members of the Peace Corps and our Armed Forces.

All of us in this room today, we know firsthand the value of public service. Global Youth Service Day helps to transmit that priceless value to the next generation. All around the world it encourages boys and girls to get involved, to give of themselves, to use their enthusiasm, their energy and their passion to help our community. I urge my colleagues to honor these values of civic and community service and to support this resolution.