STATEMENT OF PURPOSE

The Jefferson Awards For Public Service and Deloitte have launched a new national youth recognition and reward program. The Jefferson Award-Deloitte Youth Service Initiative is active in 80 high schools in four communities (San Francisco, Chicago, Central Florida and Delaware) to encourage high school students to get more involved in volunteering and community service.

Deloitte serves as the National Managing Partner providing strategic, financial, mentoring and training support to the 80 schools currently in the Pilot Program.

Through this program we hope to:

• Build life long habits around Service, Leadership and Ethics-the core values of the initiative.
• Double the current level of youth volunteerism and community service on a national level.
• Rely on the leadership of students to be the driving force to make the program succeed
• Pass the tradition of Community Service on to young Americans.
• Excite and motivate students through the use of rewards and incentives- Gift Certificates, Scholarships and Prizes.
• Build upon the successful 35year history of the Jefferson Awards. This program has recognized more than 15,000 volunteers of all ages from local communities across the country.

Across the United States, there is a growing concern that America's tradition of civic engagement is eroding. Many experts see a startling decline in the number of citizens joining in to address community needs. The Carnegie Corporation and the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard fear that an increasing number of Americans are choosing not to get involved, opting instead for a passive reliance on government solutions.

This is the first ever, one of a kind, comprehensive school-based rewards and recognition program that has the use of the Jefferson Awards 155 Media Partners in 75 communities all across the country. The program will use local newspapers, radio and television stations to highlight and promote the Youth Service Initiative. This is the largest media partnership supporting volunteer service to America. With corporate and media support we can achieve a greater level of youth participating in community service and recognize them for their efforts with the hope of inspiring others.

High school students are the next generation of community volunteers.