ST. PETERSBURG – Through funding from the Florida Legislature, St. Petersburg College, in cooperation with the MLK Day of Service Advisory Board, has awarded approximately $200,000 to organizations and groups to develop and complete service projects in St. Petersburg on or before Mon., Jan 19.
Awarded projects will promote community service and positively impact the city, while honoring Dr. King’s legacies of non-violent activism, racial equality, service to others and social uplift. The MLK Day of Service Project began in 2012, with the first official MLK Day of Service held in January of 2013.
2015 MLK Day of Service Youth Ambassadors
Last year, State Representative Darryl Rouson, who is responsible for bringing the national MLK Day of Service to St. Petersburg, charged the Advisory Board and St. Petersburg College MLK Day of Service staff to devise a plan to engage youth in the MLK Day of Service.
The Advisory Board and staff of the MLK Day of Service project sought high school students to serve as Youth Ambassadors for the Day of Service, “A Day On, Not a Day Off” this Jan. 19.
This year’s Youth Ambassadors come from high schools all over the county, such as Gibbs, Dixie Hollins, Lakewood, St. Petersburg, Pinellas Park and St. Pete Collegiate schools.
Youth Ambassadors volunteer their time working with a designated community service project during the 2015 MLK Day of Service. As a Youth Ambassador, the primary responsibilities include:
- Assisting with planning and preparation for an awarded MLK Day of Service project
- Assisting with assigned service project’s volunteer and participant recruitment
- Collecting data and managing feedback from volunteer activities, including community volunteers, project staff, and community members through written reports, testimonials, and verbal comments
- Distributing MLK Day of Service flyers in the community
- Attending and providing assistance at MLK Day of Service events
- Other duties as deemed necessary
Youth Ambassadors will earn approximately 10 to 15 volunteer hours during the MLK Day of Service Project planning and program period. Students selected will benefit especially if volunteer hours are required as a part of their high school curriculum, college applications, or for scholarships.
In addition to the wonderful feeling of giving back to the community, Youth Ambassadors continue to perpetuate Dr. King’s legacy. The Youth Ambassadors program runs from December 2014 to February 2015.
To qualify as an ambassador, the applicant had to be enrolled as a full-time student in a secondary school in the Pinellas County School District. An MLK Day of Service Youth Ambassador should also have an interest in the Dr. Martin Luther King Day of Service and time/energy to devote to the project.
“We have another awesome group of students selected this year as Youth Ambassadors,” said Dr. Shameka Jones, chair of the MLK Day of Service Advisory Board. “The Advisory Board is looking forward to working with these students and we are so excited of their interest in our Youth Ambassador program. Serving as a Youth Ambassador offers a unique and valuable experience; it allows students to not just honor King’s dreams, but to actively work to make dreams come true in their community.”
