The BIG IDEA Youth Service Symposium |

This story comes to us from Mike Mallory:

Recent studies have shown that while several years of school reform have led to overall progress, the achievement gap for students of color remains a persistent challenge for many Washington area schools.  Building on its proven track record of supporting and preparing high-achieving young African-Americans from across the nation for success in their academic and professional careers, the Ron Brown Scholar Program is focusing on the DC area and has partnered with LearnServe International to announce the Big Idea Youth Service Symposium to be held Friday, August 12, 2011 at the Georgetown University Conference Center. 

Students from dozens of DC Metro area high schools who have demonstrated their commitment to service have been nominated by their guidance counselors and career advisors and will participate in this day-long event. Students participating in the symposium come from a variety of high schools and a diversity of backgrounds. The symposium will feature Alumni of the Ron Brown Scholar Program and LearnServe International Fellows who will help the students cultivate a sense of purposeful leadership and service. Students will be encouraged to think of a “Big Idea” that affects their communities and the world and then receive guidance on developing activities such as campaigns, fundraisers, service projects or assembly presentations in support of their goals.

The Symposium will kick-off a year-long campaign to mobilize students and schools around leadership, service, and action and will introduce the students to leaders representing companies such as Verizon, Lockheed Martin as well as community-based groups such as City Year and Operation Understanding DC.

“So many young people finish high school without genuine exposure to windows of opportunity. How can one be expected to achieve big things if he/she hasn’t seen how great ideas develop or what it takes to be a leader? It has always been the goal of the Ron Brown Scholar Program to connect students with the type of learning opportunities that encourage altruism and we are thrilled to be doing so for students here in Washington, the city Ron Brown loved and cared for so much,” says Executive Director Michael Mallory.

Participating high schools include SEED Public Charter High School, McKinley Technical High School, Cesar Chavez Public Charter High School and KIPP: DC.

The symposium is part of the Ron Brown Scholar Program’s Triennial Faces of Leadership Conference, which brings together current Scholars and alumni representing a wide array of fields such as business, law, medicine, science, media and the arts. To date, the Ron Brown Scholar Program has provided scholarships to 281 African-American high school students who have gone on to attend and graduate from America’s top universities, professional schools and doctorate programs.