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Youth Service America & Miss America 2011 Teresa Scanlan Celebrate Global Youth Service Day April 15

the global organization that improves communities by increasing the number and diversity of young people serving in substantive roles – confirms a first-ever Global Youth Service Day event with Miss America 2011, Teresa Scanlan, in the New York City area on April 15.

Miss America will participate in Dance for Your Heart Sayaywan Para Sa Puso at Filipino American Human Services Inc., (FAHSI) in Jamaica, Queens. The group’s youth members will teach Miss America a traditional dance, showcasing an effective and fun physical activity, and introduce healthy versions of authentic Filipino food. The event is made possible by UnitedHealthcare and its UnitedHealth HEROES grant program, which positions youth as “first responders” in the battle against childhood obesity.        

In its 23rd year, Global Youth Service Day (GYSD) boasts more than one million youth engaged in meaningful projects via partnerships with schools as well as community and faith-based organizations. Service initiatives will occur in 100+ countries and all 50 states addressing the most challenging issues facing the world including health, disaster preparedness, literacy, childhood hunger, and the environment.

“Our goal is to engage youth in significant, thought-out service initiatives that help to change the world,” said Steve Culbertson President and CEO of Youth Service America. “At the age of 18, Miss America is a wonderful example of a young role model who is making a difference in our country and YSA is thrilled that she is participating in Global Youth Service Day.”

Teresa Scanlan was crowned Miss America 2011 on January 15, 2011 at the 90th anniversary of the Miss America Pageant on ABC. Since her crowning she has been traveling the country appearing on numerous national and local television programs, making corporate appearances, and talking about The Miss America Organization’s national platform, Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals, and her personal platform of Eating Disorders: A Generation at Risk.

“We are excited to be working with Youth Service America as its goals mirror our organization’s, helping to engage our youth to make a difference in every community across this great country,” said Miss America 2011 Teresa Scanlan. “Global Youth Service Day is such a wonderful event, to not only celebrate youth and their achievements, but it helps to inspire all of us to get involved in meaningful, community projects.”

In addition to this event, YSA is experiencing a banner year as this is the first time in the organization’s history that it has distributed more than one million dollars in grants, with the majority benefiting GYSD projects. YSA will celebrate its landmark 25th anniversary in November.

Youth Service America (YSA) improves communities by increasing the number and the diversity of young people, ages 5-25, serving in substantive roles.Founded in 1986, YSA supports a global culture of engaged youth committed to a lifetime of service, learning, leadership, and achievement.The impact of YSA’s work through service and service-learning is measured in student achievement, workplace readiness, and healthy communities.For more information, visit .

Global Youth Service Day is an annual campaign that celebrates and mobilizes the millions of children and youth who improve their communities each day of the year through service and service-learning.Established in 1988, GYSD is the largest service event in the world and is now celebrated in over 100 countries.On GYSD, children and youth address the world’s most critical issues in partnership with families, schools, community and faith-based organizations, businesses, and governments.For more information, visit .

The Miss America Organization is one of the nation's leading achievement programs and the world's largest provider of scholarship assistance for young women. Last year, The Miss America Organization and its state and local organizations made available more than $45 million in cash and scholarship assistance, helping young women all across the country to reach their dreams and goals. For more information, go to .

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Jen VossYouth Service America571-527-9783Email Information