Youth Venture's National Newsletter provides monthly updates about Youth Venture Inc, funding and award opportunities and Youth Venture teams.

1. Youth Venture National Newsletter September 2008
In This Issue Dear Kristin,
Golden Opportunities September is an exciting month here at Youth Venture. We have
two challenges currently underway each with a cash prize and
YV Nation other opportunities for your Venture: the Staples Young Social
In Your Neck of the Entrepreneur Competition and the Best Buy @15™ Challenge with
Youth Venture. To find out how you can get more funding and
Woods
improve YOUR Venture, and to see if you are eligible to double your
Venture Spotlight chances of winning and enter both, see the YV Nation
section below to learn more!
Quick Links It's the start of a new academic year for most, which means it's not
GenV.net only time to hit the books, but it's also a great time to collaborate
About Youth Venture with classmates and peers to grow your changemaking initiative
YV Mid-Atlantic and to network with educators, administrators, and community
YV Mid-West members. Utilize all of the "Grow It" tools on GenV.net.
YV New England
YV New York and Virtual Sincerely,
YV National
YV Seattle Youth Venture
YV Digital
Donate Now
Golden Opportunities
Take advantage of these great grants, programs, and scholarships!
State Farm Youth Advisory Board
Service Learning Grant Program
Grants range from $25,000 to $100,000 and are evaluated by the youth advisory board for how
well they utilize service-learning to address: driver safety, environmental responsibility, financial
literacy, access to higher education, and disaster preparedness.
Deadline: October 3, 2008
Website: www.statefarmyab.com/apply.php
The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards
Award
The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards honor young people in middle level and high school grades for
outstanding volunteer service to their communities. Young people in grades 5-12 who have conducted a
volunteer service activity within the past year are eligible to apply for The Prudential Spirit of Community
Awards. Over the past 13 years, the program has honored more than 80,000 young volunteers at the local,

2. state, and national level. Honorees have the chance to receive an award of up to $5,000, an all-expenses-paid
trip to Washington, DC, or other forms of recognition for their service.
Deadline: October 31, 2008
Website:www.prudential.com/spirit
Nestle Very Best in Youth 2009 Program
Program
The Nestle Very Best in Youth 2009 Program which is sponsored by Nestle USA, honors young
people who have excelled in school and who are making their community and the world a
better place. Selected young people will be featured in a special publication, honored at a
black-tie ceremony in Los Angeles, California in July 2009 and will receive a host of Nestle
products.
Deadline: November 20, 2008
Website: www.nestle-verybestinyouth.com
The Truman Scholarship
Scholarship
The Truman Scholarship provides up to $30,000 in funding to students pursuing graduate degrees in public
service fields. Students must be college juniors at the time of selection. Sixty to sixty-five students will be
awarded Truman Scholarships in 2009. They will receive leadership training, graduate school counseling,
preferential admission and merit-based aid to some premier graduate institutions, and internship opportunities
with federal agencies.
Deadline: February 3, 2009
Website: www.truman.gov/candidates/candidates.htm
Want more information about scholarships, programs, and grants? Many more are listed on GenV.net.
Check out the following links: Opportunities for Venturers and Grants and Scholarship Opportunities for
Venturers.
YV Nation
Get Pumped for Youth Venture Competitions!
The Staples Youth Social Entrepreneur Competition: Now through October 15,
2008
Youth Venture is partnering with Staples® and Changmakers to present an online
competition that seeks young changemakers who are leaders in their communities. This
collaborative competition will identify innovative and creative ideas that young people are
making and accelerate their development, innovation, and potential for impact in their communities. Four
Finalists (two from the United States and two from France) will be selected to fly out to the Staples
Headquarters and, one grand prize winner, chosen from the four finalists, will receive a suite of products
from Staples with a total value of $5,000.
To learn more about the competition,
click here.
The Best Buy @15™ Challenge with Youth Venture: Now through October 27, 2008
If you want to expand the impact of your Venture or have a unique or creative approach to making change in
your community, we want to know. The Best Buy @15™ Challenge will award 15, $10,000 grants to the
Venture Teams that display the greatest creativity and community impact in their
Venture and the clearest vision of how to create sustainable change. The winners will
be determined by an online vote by the public and will join Best Buy for the
competition announcement and a celebration.
Click here
for an application and to learn more!
Ultimate Changemaker Winner!

3. Submitted by: gogreengirl2
Youth Venture Superhero, EnvironmentaGirl, often fights evil with her sidekick RecyclaGal.
She uses amazing superhuman abilities against her arch nemeses are Mr.Landfill and
BigLumberCompany. One of her abilities is to make any form of plant life to grow at her
command even on concrete and asphalt. It can also be used to bind her opponents. The plant
life she grows can withstand any blade and can survive anything that man can do to try and
destroy it. She also has the ability to disintegrate any form of matter therefore ridding the
need for landfills. She also has the power of speech and can convince any person that
recycling is a very important topic and should not be taken lightly and should be done to save
the environment.
Learn more about EnvironmentaGirl and other ultimate changemaker superheroes.
Visit GenV.net to find out about other exciting programs that Youth Venture is sponsoring!
"Leaders don't create followers, they create more leaders." -Tom Peters
"Teamwork is the ability to work together toward a common vision. It is the fuel that allows common
people to attain uncommon results." -Andrew Carnegie
"The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams." -Eleanor Roosevelt
In Your Neck of the Woods
Seattle, WA- Youth Venture welcomes our newly launched office in Seattle to the YV community of
changemakers. Youth Venture Seattle is reaching out and providing support to young people within their region.
If you or a young person you know has an idea to make positive change in the Seattle community, contact
yvseattle@youthventure.org or (206) 323-1848 to speak directly with one of our Seattle staff.
New York, NY- This past summer Youth Venture-New York partnered with Oasis Children's Services, The
Beacon Program, and The Door youth center to turn New York City into a community of
Changemakers. Participating youth, ages 9-18, worked on building their own community organizations in
Manhattan, the Bronx, and Brooklyn, focusing on issues about which they were the most passionate. In their
efforts to create changes in their communities, the prospective Venture Teams tackled a variety of issues
including global warming, pet rescue, comprehensive sex education, poverty in Africa, and the digital
divide. After six weeks of intense brainstorming and planning, over 75 Teams presented at Selection Panels all
over New York City, showing adults and volunteers how young people are making a positive impact. YV is so
proud of these Changemakers and the work to which they have committed themselves. As they all transition
back into the school year, we will be supporting them through the complete the launch process and make New
York City a place where everyone truly is a Changemaker!
If you're looking to connect with other Venturers and young changemakers within your region, contact
yvfellowship@youthventure.org to learn more about joining or creating regional listservs. Use listservs
to share ideas, seek advice, and stay informed as to what is going on in your broader community and
how it relates to the growth and sustainability of your Venture.
Venture Spotlight Starring:
JJ Express

4. JJ Express makes headlines in Maryland newspaper! "Jenny Chen, 17, a recent graduate of
Thomas S. Wootton High School, dreamed of being published in a magazine when she was
younger. Chen and her brother Jack, 15, who helped start the magazine, enlist the help of
artists around the world as well as local youth to create the publication, which they have
dubbed JJ Express. Focusing primarily on comics and cartoon art, but with several written
articles as well, the magazine aims to encourage youth to affect social change. Highlighting
important issues through comics and cartoons makes it exciting for youth to read about, they
said. 'The graphic novel market is so popular and rising really fast,' Jenny Chen said. 'Absolutely
everyone, from any culture or background, loves to read comics and cartoons.' About 200
copies are printed, and sold for $3.50 through online distribution. According to Jack, the name comes from the
initials of his and his sister's first names, and the word 'Express' - which embodies both moving forward and
self-expression."
Excerpt and photp provided by Gazette.Net. Read the entire Gazette.Net article featuring Jenny and Jack's
innovative Venture and learn more about JJ Express.
YV Shout Out
Venture Team, Youth Action, of Philadelphia, PA celebrated their 5th anniversary at their annual gala last
month. Throughout their FIVE years of hard work, their organization has focused on youth-empowerment and
tackled some of the tough issues affecting Philadelphia community members including teen pregnancy,
homelessness and public health. Way to go, Youth Action! Keep up the great work!
Check out Youth Action's citizen sector 501(c)3 organization.
Check out Youth Venture Teams to learn more about other Venture Teams. Compose an Action Plan to
start your own Venture. Chat with other Venturers via Forums.
Youth Venture Contact Information
1700 North Moore Street
Suite 2000
Arlington, VA 22209
Phone: 703.527.4126
yvfellowship@youthventure.org
GenV.net-Youth Venture National Office
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