Thank You Promise Fellows, for Your Service to Communities’ Youth
By John Gomperts
Among his many accomplishments, Harris was one of the driving forces behind the Presidents’ Summit for America’s Future in Philadelphia in 1997, and the creation of America’s Promise. For Harris, creating the conditions under which every young American has a real chance to thrive is a key part of the unfinished work of the civil rights movement. And, of course, for Harris national service is a central means to the ends of creating those conditions for success for every young American.
Using service to accomplish this big goal means putting people in service of young people. So it isn't surprising that another of Harris’ legacies is the fact that the Corporation for National and Community Service, which Harris led from 1995 – 2001, invests more than half of its resources to programs that are specifically designed to help young people have a greater opportunity to learn and thrive.
In the wake of the Presidents’ Summit, Harris launched a special effort to bring together his belief in national service and his dedication to the goals of America’s Promise: he created the AmeriCorps Promise Fellows program. Across 16 states, AmeriCorps members were selected and deployed specifically to help deliver the Five Promises to young Americans in need.
Over the years, thousands of AmeriCorps members served as AmeriCorps Promise Fellows. And nearly two decades later, two states are still operating vibrant Promise Fellows programs – Massachusetts and Minnesota. I've visited with both of these programs, and can happily testify to both their spirit and impact. These are just the kinds of people and efforts we need on the frontlines with young people who need support to stay and succeed in school.
AmeriCorps Promise Fellows are celebrating their history with a week of high-profile activities and connections. From my current perch at America’s Promise, I want to thank and congratulate all who have served as AmeriCorps Promise Fellows and those who are currently serving. For all who believe in the power of national service to lift the sights and prospects of young Americans, your service should be celebrated. I hope you use this week to share your stories, insights and ideas for the future. We’ll be watching with great interest.
John Gomperts is the President and CEO of America’s Promise Alliance and a former director of AmeriCorps. This article originally appeared on the GradNation blog.