CAT | Service
Imagine a problem facing a community -- unemployment or homelessness, poverty or environmental degradation -- and there’s a good chance a group of college students is finding a way to tackle it. At the Corporation for National and Community Service, we honor these students and their universities with the President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll. The Honor Roll is the highest Federal recognition a college or university can receive for its commitment to volunteering, service-learning, and civic engagement.
Today, we are honored to announce the recipients of the 2009 Presidential Awards:
General Community Service Awardees
Lee University, Cleveland, Tennessee Ohio Wesleyan University, Delaware, Ohio The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North CarolinaSpecial Focus: Service to Youth from Disadvantaged Circumstances Awardees
Emory & Henry College, Emory, Virginia Raritan Valley Community College, Branchburg, New Jersey Willamette University, Salem, OregonIn addition to these outstanding winners, 736 colleges and universities were placed on the Honor Roll, with 115 of these receiving “With Distinction” honors.
The competition was tough – the winners had to demonstrate their level of student participation in service activities; scope, level of effort, innovation and effectiveness of their service projects; and overall institutional support to service-learning and volunteerism.
The importance of service to college students is underscored by one telling statistic: in the 2008-09 academic year, more than three million college students contributed over 300 million hours of service. College students take on community challenges by running after school programs, tutoring at-risk youth, building and weatherizing homes, offering computer classes, restoring natural parks, and much more.
I cannot overstate the important role that colleges and universities play in the broader national service movement. These institutions’ commitment to service can have an impact on students throughout their entire lives.
The Honor Roll is one of many ways that we promote student service-learning and civic engagement. Our Learn and Serve America program works with schools across the country to promote academic achievement and civic responsibility for more than one million students each year, and AmeriCorps annually engages thousands of college students in making a difference in their communities while earning money for their education.
I want to express my sincere congratulations to the recipients of the Presidential Award and the more than 700 additional schools that applied. I encourage every college and university to apply for the 2010 Honor Roll, and to find new and creative ways to engage their students in service throughout the year. Read more about all the colleges and universities that received the Honor Roll.
Patrick Corvington is the Chief Executive Officer of the Corporation for National and Community Service
The President meets with the 2009 and 2010 March of Dimes Ambassadors in the Oval Office:
President Barack Obama greets March Of Dimes ambassador families in the Oval Office
Today is the last day for you to submit nominees for the 2010 Presidential Citizens Medal! President Obama wants to recognize Americans from all across the country who represent the best of the core American value of service. And he wants to hear from you about who has inspired you and made your community or the world community a better place. Who is your unsung hero? Who has worked selflessly and determinedly, without seeking the limelight, to help others? Who has sacrificed to put someone else’s interests before their own? Help us recognize your exemplary citizen and local hero and bring them the public attention they deserve.
The deadline is 11:59 pm EST TODAY, Thursday, January 28 – don’t miss your chance to get your nomination in!
This year, the President wants to single out ordinary citizens who have gone above and beyond, performing extraordinary deeds of service outside of their regular jobs, including:
those who have a demonstrated commitment to service in their own community or in communities farther from home, those who have helped their country or their fellow citizens through one or more extraordinary acts, and those whose service relates to a long-term or persistent problem.Many Americans spend hours every week teaching basketball or tennis to neighborhood kids, feeding the homeless, or teaching people to read. Others take on a particular project, building or cleaning a local playground or park, or organizing a fundraising drive for victims near and far through their places of worship. Others engage in long battles to change local laws that deprive part of the populace of their rights, to bring attention to the abuses of powerful interests or to develop programs that ultimately become community staples. And others do just one thing, but one thing that changes the lives of others forever. All make the world a better place and represent the best in each of us.
As we face today’s economic challenges, these contributions are more important than ever. So help us recognize the work of these heroes and thereby inspire others to serve. By highlighting their stories, we will lift up all of our spirits and remind ourselves of the best of the American spirit.
So send your nomination now, before today’s midnight deadline!
Lisa Brown is an Assistant to the President and Staff Secretary
Last week, we were excited to help President Obama launch the Citizens Medal public nominations process. By asking the public to submit nominees, President Obama hopes to recognize exemplary citizens and local heroes who have significantly impacted their communities but who may not have garnered national attention.
We are thrilled to have received over 5,000 nominations so far, with more rolling in every hour. The deadline is 11:59 pm EST on Thursday, January 28, so please don’t delay in getting your nomination in!
The President is focused this year on seeking out ordinary citizens who have gone above and beyond, performing extraordinary deeds of service outside of their regular jobs, including in particular: those who have a demonstrated commitment to service in their own community or in communities farther from home, those who have helped their country or their fellow citizens through one or more extraordinary acts, and those whose service relates to a long-term or persistent problem.
In past Administrations, some truly amazing individuals have been honored with this award.
For example, in 2008, President George W. Bush presented the Citizens Medal to Dr. Mitch Besser, whose made great advances on behalf of women living with HIV/AIDS worldwide. He developed innovative strategies to reduce mother-to-child transmission of the disease.
In 2001, Sister Carol Coston and Marion Wiesel were among the honorees chosen by President Bill Clinton. Both women were tireless advocates against oppression and intolerance, working towards peace and basic human rights for all. Sister Carol worked to lift up low-income communities here in the United States through economic development, while Marion Wiesel’s work touched people across the globe – from writing a documentary about the children of the Holocaust to helping Ethiopian youth transition to living and thriving in Israel.
We’re heartened by the wonderful stories you’ve all sent in, and look forward to reading more as they come in over the next day! Thank you so much for your participation.
Tina Tchen is the Director of the Office of Public Engagement
Monday was not an average day on the road for us. We’re in the middle of a long eight game road trip and flew into Washington, D.C. late Sunday night after tough game in Toronto. Fortunately, Monday had a couple opportunities for us that kept the team’s energy high despite the minimal sleep.
In the morning, we had the chance to team up with President Obama’s United We Serve initiative and City Year Washington, DC to invite about 30 kids from Stanton Elementary School over to our practice. They piled into the gym and got to watch us do one of our team shooting competitions before we brought them onto the court for a mini clinic.
Every summer I host a basketball camp for kids in LA. Working with youth and teaching them what I can is a big part of my life. So it was a lot fun to take these kids through some drills working on ball handling skills, shooting, and other fundamentals of the game. Afterward, we made it a point to talk with them about the importance of healthy eating and an active lifestyle. As professional athletes, it’s our job to take care of our bodies. But it’s just as important for these 10 and 11 year olds to eat right and get some regular exercise if they want to do well in school—and in life. Kids don’t always connect the two, so it was a good chance for us to reinforce this message.
After the clinic, we had to quickly clean up and rush over to the White House where the day got even better. President Obama was going to formally congratulate us on our 2009 NBA championship. It was my first time at the White House and I was amazed to be surrounded by such history. You can see how every president puts their personal touch on the place, like the Obamas’ swing set just outside the Oval Office. And as an animal lover, I just had to go play with the First Family’s dog Bo when I saw him near the Rose Garden.
In all, it was a huge honor to visit the White House and interact with the President. He comes across as a real down-to-earth, regular guy who knows basketball and loves the game like we do.
Los Angeles Lakers guard Jordan Farmar signs an autograph for a DC student at a youth clinic the team put on before visiting the White House.
Jordan Farmar is a guard with the 2009 NBA Champion Los Angeles Lakers.
Monday was not an average day on the road for us. We’re in the middle of a long eight game road trip and flew into Washington, D.C. late Sunday night after tough game in Toronto. Fortunately, Monday had a couple opportunities for us that kept the team’s energy high despite the minimal sleep.
In the morning, we had the chance to team up with President Obama’s United We Serve initiative and City Year Washington, DC to invite about 30 kids from Stanton Elementary School over to our practice. They piled into the gym and got to watch us do one of our team shooting competitions before we brought them onto the court for a mini clinic.
Every summer I host a basketball camp for kids in LA. Working with youth and teaching them what I can is a big part of my life. So it was a lot fun to take these kids through some drills working on ball handling skills, shooting, and other fundamentals of the game. Afterward, we made it a point to talk with them about the importance of healthy eating and an active lifestyle. As professional athletes, it’s our job to take care of our bodies. But it’s just as important for these 10 and 11 year olds to eat right and get some regular exercise if they want to do well in school—and in life. Kids don’t always connect the two, so it was a good chance for us to reinforce this message.
After the clinic, we had to quickly clean up and rush over to the White House where the day got even better. President Obama was going to formally congratulate us on our 2009 NBA championship. It was my first time at the White House and I was amazed to be surrounded by such history. You can see how every president puts their personal touch on the place, like the Obamas’ swing set just outside the Oval Office. And as an animal lover, I just had to go play with the First Family’s dog Bo when I saw him near the Rose Garden.
In all, it was a huge honor to visit the White House and interact with the President. He comes across as a real down-to-earth, regular guy who knows basketball and loves the game like we do.
Los Angeles Lakers guard Jordan Farmar signs an autograph for a DC student at a youth clinic the team put on before visiting the White House.
Jordan Farmar is a guard with the 2009 NBA Champion Los Angeles Lakers.
The message below was sent out to all Coast Guard personnel from Admiral Thad Allen, their Commandant, moments ago:
To the Men and Women of the United States Coast Guard:
Exactly one week ago today, a little before 1700 EST, a violent earthquake devastated Port Au Prince, Haiti. Without waiting for tasking, Coast Guard men and women from all over the country made immediate preparations to assist the beleaguered Haitian people. The next morning, Haitians witnessed President Obama's pledge - "You will not be forsaken and you will not be forgotten" - become reality when the cutter FORWARD arrived with the rising sun as the first American asset on-scene. Amidst the devastation, FORWARD delivered damage assessments, critical command and control capabilities, and most importantly - hope.
I am incredibly proud of the performance of all our personnel during this challenging period and like you, my heart goes out to the Haitian people who have suffered so greatly. Coast Guard units were the first on-scene in Port Au Prince and have been working around the clock with our interagency partners to provide humanitarian assistance, evacuate U.S. citizens, and help the most seriously wounded.
On-scene, the cutters TAHOMA and MOHAWK quickly established a makeshift trauma unit with the Haitian Coast Guard and triaged hundreds of injured people. TAHOMA's crew even delivered a baby boy from an injured Haitian woman on their flight deck and a second baby at their shoreside clinic. C-130 aircraft performed damage assessment flights and the cutter VALIANT conducted a port assessment of Cap Haitian to create another entryway for supplies that were backing up at the airport. The cutter OAK continues to survey Port Au Prince harbor and repair the primary pier to allow much needed supplies to flow directly into the city. Aircrews from Mobile, AL; Elizabeth City, NC; Sacramento, CA; Barbers Point, HI; Detroit, MI; and Jacksonville and Miami, FL are also assisting with overflights and evacuations.
Supporting our forward operations have been thousands of Guardians working inside and outside of the Coast Guard. The Seventh District Commander has been leading the Homeland Security Task Force South East which is a key coordination point for the federal government's collective response and evacuation efforts. A joint FEMA-Coast Guard team has been deployed to Port Au Prince to support United States response operations being directed by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). We are also supporting U.S. Southern Command Joint Task Force Haiti with individual augmentees. Our Area Commanders have worked seamlessly to flow forces rapidly including moving the cutter HAMILTON through the Panama Canal from the West Coast. The Chief of Staff, exercising his mission support responsibilities, has skillfully integrated and deployed logistics elements demonstrating the maturation of our new support model. Here in Washington, our staffs have integrated with key partners including DOD, FEMA and USAID. I have worked with FEMA Director, Craig Fugate, in support of Secretary Napolitano and Deputy Secretary Lute at a number of White House meetings.
We continue to surge people and assets because we will have to sustain our response efforts in Haiti. HAMILTON and LEGARE will soon be on-scene pushing our total number of Guardians in theater to over 700. We are also recalling Coast Guard reservists to augment our humanitarian efforts and ensure maritime safety and security for relief supplies arriving in theater. Our immediate and sustained response illustrates the value of the Coast Guard's flexible command structure, ability to operate across the interagency and international spectrums, and the initiative of our people to take action. This is why the Coast Guard is so valuable to the American public and the global maritime community.
Our efforts have not gone unnoticed. Secretary of State Clinton commented "our Coast Guard has been unbelievable." At a press conference last week, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, ADM Mike Mullen stated "the Coast Guard was magnificent from day one. First, they were medevacing people literally within the first 24 hours. And I want to give them a great deal of credit for their response capability as well." Those comments are directed at all of you who executing or supporting our operations.
Many have questioned how the Coast Guard can do so much so quickly, and I simply reply: "This is what we do". Our Guardians are committed to protecting, defending, and saving without having to be told to do so. Along with all Americans, I am truly inspired by the Coast Guard men and women operating in theater, backfilling for deployed units, or providing the necessary support to make it all possible. As always, our Guardians are here to protect and ready to rescue at a moment's notice. That is who we are and why we serve.
I cannot describe it any better than a young petty officer assigned to TAHOMA in this email to his family:
"There is an eerie feeling in the air amongst our crew tonight. Those who remained shielded on the cutter today see in the eyes of those who went ashore what a major disaster can do to a nation. I have never seen so many grown men and women with tears in their eyes. Those who did go ashore experienced first-hand the severity of the situation.
I've been shielded today only talking over the radio to those who have seen it. Never once was there a question of professionalism in their voice. I remember in boot camp being told that the U.S. Coast Guard on the right side of our chest takes priority over our name. Today the men and women who went ashore wore coveralls without their names on them. All that was visible were the letters USCG.
Today was the first day I think I've truly been more thankful to be an American. Not because of our infrastructure or the freedoms given to us, but because as a country we will be there when a country of less fortune is in need. Haiti rarely exports anything to our country. They have no oil or major cash crop we use. But as a county we will stand together and put aside our different opinions of healthcare, war, or economy and help out those in need.
Right now we are taking it hour by hour, aftershock by aftershock, every little bit helps. I'm going to try and get some sleep, as I've already put in a solid 16 hours. Tomorrow will be longer."
Well said.
Thank you and Semper Paratus!
Admiral Thad Allen
Commandant, U.S. Coast Guard
Read and see additional firsthand accounts from Guardians providing aid to Haiti on the Coast Guard’s blog.
This morning the President and the First Lady dedicated the morning to serving the community here in DC.
In honor of Martin Luther King Day, First Lady Michelle Obama serves lunch in the dining room at So Others Might Eat, a soup kitchen in Washington
In honor of Martin Luther King Day, President Barack Obama serves lunch in the dining room at So Others Might Eat, a soup kitchen in Washington
"How can I help?"
That's what former Presidents George W. Bush and Bill Clinton both asked as the devastating impact of the earthquake in Haiti became clear. This question brought them to a place they both know well, the Oval Office. There they met with President Obama and agreed to lead a major fundraising effort for relief: the Clinton Bush Haiti Fund.
In the Rose Garden just after the meeting, President Bush touched on the work that's already being done and the best way for Americans to help:
The challenges down there are immense, but there's a lot of devoted people leading the relief effort, from government personnel who deployed into the disaster zone to the faith-based groups that have made Haiti a calling.
The most effective way for Americans to help the people of Haiti is to contribute money. That money will go to organizations on the ground and will be -- who will be able to effectively spend it. I know a lot of people want to send blankets or water -- just send your cash. One of the things that the President and I will do is to make sure your money is spent wisely. As President Obama said, you can look us up on clintonbushhaitifund.org.
President Clinton reaffirmed his optimism for Haiti's future, despite this enormous challenge for the country:
I believe before this earthquake Haiti had the best chance in my lifetime to escape its history -- a history that Hillary and I have shared a tiny part of. I still believe that. The Haitians want to just amend their development plan to take account of what's happened in Port-au-Prince and west, figure out what they got to do about that, and then go back to implementing it. But it's going to take a lot of help and a long time.
President Obama summed up the importance of the sustained attention and support the two former Presidents will champion:
In any extraordinary catastrophe like this, the first several weeks are just going to involve getting immediate relief on the ground. And there are going to be some tough days over the next several days. People are still trying to figure out how to organize themselves. There's going to be fear, anxiety, a sense of desperation in some cases.
I've been in contact with President Préval. I've been talking to the folks on the ground. We are going to be making slow and steady progress, and the key now is to -- for everybody in Haiti to understand that there is going to be sustained help on the way.
But what these gentlemen are going to be able to do is when the news media starts seeing its attention drift to other things but there's still enormous needs on the ground, these two gentlemen of extraordinary stature I think are going to be able to help ensure that these efforts are sustained. And that's why it's so important and that's why I'm so grateful that they agreed to do it.
During my relatively brief tenure in Washington, I have had the privilege of working with technology professionals who share a sense of purpose that often extends beyond corporate walls and into their local communities. This year, the Administration wants to tap into that spirit of generosity by collaborating with the Corporation for National and Community Service during the MLK Day of Service to launch the MLK Technology Challenge (on Twitter: #MLKTech). Our goal is to connect technologically thirsty schools and non-profits with IT and web professionals, developers, graphic designers, and new-media professionals who are willing to volunteer their skills for the common good.
As the nation’s Chief Technology Officer, I am posting this blog to encourage technology professionals to participate. Now is the time to take the MLK Tech Challenge and invest your talents in service to a local school or non-profit facing a technology hurdle.
Find a technology need in your community. If you don’t see a service project in your area, this is a great opportunity to reach out and ask the leaders at your neighborhood school if they need some tech or online assistance. Thousands of schools and other organizations need your skills to train students to write HTML or update a Web site. As inspiration, I’ve shared a partial list of ideas that are surfacing from schools and non-profits in just the past few days:
Refurbish computers for schools Teach students how to use popular software or online services Build a database for a non-profit Help out in your school’s computer lab Become an online mentor for students across the countrySome of these projects can be completed on MLK Day -- others might take longer. That’s perfectly ok; the heart and soul of this initiative is to start a dialogue around collaboration. Let’s use the MLK Day of Service as an opportunity to kick off this conversation with schools and non-profits to let them know you want to help.
Your work can have a huge impact on kids and others in need across the country. Take the MLK Tech Challenge and make a difference in your community on MLK Day and throughout the year. Service is a solution, and together we can help overcome a technology hurdle for an organization built to serve others. Make MLK Day a day online, not a day offline.
Getting involved is easy – to register your tech need or to find a volunteer opportunity in your community, visit http://www.serve.gov/MLKTech.
A final word of thanks: Many in the tech community, personally and professionally, have graciously lent a hand to those struggling from the devastating earthquake in Haiti, from waiving text messaging fees to providing much needed tech equipment. We greatly appreciate your support.
Aneesh Chopra is U.S. Chief Technology Officer