The era of big government may be over, but the era of big challenges for our nation is surely not. Citizen service is the main way we recognize that we are responsible for one another. It is the very American idea that we meet our challenges not through heavy-handed government or as isolated individuals, but as members of a true community, with all of us working together.
President William J. Clinton,
April 5, 1997
Service as a path to good citizenship. The President believes that citizen service is not only an effective answer to a community's problems, it is also an important part of every young person's civic education -- their sense of responsibility for themselves, our community, and our nation. Those who serve gain a greater understanding of their communities and neighbors. In many ways, they learn what it truly means to be an American.
Engaging young people in service through AmeriCorps. While today's challenges require something of all of us, it is especially important that young people take leading roles in shaping their own futures, and gain the sense of citizenship that service helps to provide. That is why the President created AmeriCorps. It is also an important reason for the Service Summit's focus on young people.
AmeriCorps: the basic bargain of opportunity and responsibility. The President often says that one of his proudest moments was creating the Corporation for National Service and AmeriCorps. During the last three years, 50,000 young AmeriCorps participants have earned college tuition by serving their communities, with the basic bargain of getting the opportunity to go to college in return for giving something back to their friends and neighbors.
AmeriCorps: reviving the spirit of service in America. The success of AmeriCorps shows that service can help to meet our most pressing social needs, from renewing our cities to protecting our environment, from helping children learn to read to giving them mentors and someone to look up to. That service often leads to more service -- a typical AmeriCorps member trains or recruits a dozen or more community volunteers. AmeriCorps -- and even larger numbers of Senior Service Corps and student volunteers -- have helped revive the spirit of service in America.
The President's Summit: mobilizing citizen power. From April 27-29, in Independence Hall in Philadelphia, President Clinton and President Bush will convene the first President's Summit On Citizen Service, with the support and leadership of the Corporation For National Service and AmeriCorps, the Points Of Light Foundation, Summit Chairman General Colin Powell and Vice Chairs Henry Cisneros and Lynda Robb. The Summit's goal, like that of AmeriCorps, is to mobilize America's citizen power into a united effort to solve our common problems -- especially those that threaten our young people.
Participation from all sectors of society. Leaders from a broad spectrum will come to the Summit with commitments in hand, concrete pledges of support and volunteers to solve their local problems. In preparation for the summit some of our most prominent corporations and service organizations have already stepped forward.
An unprecedented bipartisan Summit. Every living former President will attend or send a representative. We hope this will serve as an example that there are common national values that unite us all. The idea of service is such a value.
A special focus on children, to help prepare them for the 21st Century. No task facing is more crucial than preparing our children for the future. To do that, we must help our children and families overcome the challenges of society today: the burdens of illiteracy and poor health, the lure of tobacco, alcohol and drugs; the need to acquire the tools to succeed in a global economy. That is why the Summit will have a special emphasis on service aimed at America's children.
In preparation for the Summit, the President has already:
Announced a new National Week of Service (April 13-19), with AmeriCorps
and Peace Corps alumni engaging young people in service across the country;
Called on all states to make service a part of high school and middle
school education; Launched his National Service Scholarships, offering $1,000 scholarships
(half provided by the government, half by local civic groups and
businesses) to help students who perform outstanding service pay for college;
Highlighted a recent Brandeis study that shows that when you begin to
serve at a young age, schoolwork improves and there is a good chance you will
keep serving in years to come.
In the coming weeks before the Summit, the President will:
Recognize service and volunteers working for children at the White House
Early Childhood Conference on April 17; Recognize service, volunteers,
and public-private partnerships on Net Day,
on April 19; Play major role at the President's Service Summit in
Philadelphia, which he will attend from April 27-28. (The Vice
President, the First Lady, and Mrs.
Gore will also attend.)