The Pike County Youth Coalition invites the public to attend its second annual community dinner on Friday, August 21st at 7:00 PM at the Dingman Township Firehouse. This year’s theme is “Renewal through Service: Celebrating Community Volunteerism.” The event will highlight local volunteer organizations and kick off Pike County’s new youth mentoring program. Tickets are $15 for adults, and $10 for both students and those who sign up to be a mentor at www.pikeyouth.org/mentor.

The dinner will be catered by local youth culinary talent and feature live youth entertainment. Tickets can be purchased or reserved at http://pcycdinner.eventbrite.com. Those who attend are asked to contribute to a collection of school supplies for less fortunate children in our area. To contact the Pike County Youth Coalition, email pcyc@pikeyouth.org or call (570) 798-PCYC.

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Media Contact:

Kaitlin Paul, Communications Director: press@pikeyouth.org// (845) 741-2754

For Immediate Release: Youth Mentorship Service Project Launches

Local citizens have joined together to establish a youth mentorship program in Pike County, part of the “United We Serve” initiative that kicked off this week. The initiative is a national effort by President Obama to engage more Americans in serving their communities this summer, particularly focusing on four key areas: education, healthcare, energy and community renewal.

United We Serve officially launched on June 22 and will last 12 weeks until September 11, which will be marked by a national day of service and remembrance. “This summer, I’m calling on all of you to make volunteerism and community service part of your daily life and the life of this nation,” the President said in a video message on the initiative’s Web site, www.serve.gov.

On June 9, the Pike County Youth Coalition (PCYC) convened a preliminary meeting of over a dozen non-profit, civic and government leaders to discuss the initiative and decide what type of volunteer project was needed in the County. PCYC’s Executive Director, Nick Troiano, was invited to be part of a group of service organization leaders that were briefed on the initiative by First Lady Michelle Obama in late May, giving the group ample lead time in planning.

“When we began this process, we did not know what type of project we were going to undertake,” Troiano said. “But we did recognize that if we were to make a significant impact on any issue our community faces, it will take a group effort,” he said.

Using the recently completed Wayne/Pike Needs Assessment as a foundation, the group decided that a mentorship program that paired responsible citizens with at-risk youth is both needed and would greatly benefit the County. “Youth Support” was identified as one of the top five priorities in the assessment.

“This project will meet a real need in our County, and I applaud the group for its efforts,” said Harry Forbes, Pike County Commissioner and a member of the project’s steering committee.

According to the Corporation for National and Community Service, young people who are mentored by a volunteer, even for just a few hours per week, will improve their performance in school, increase their self-confidence, and be less likely to consume drugs or alcohol.

"Anytime that we as citizens can keep our youth on the right track and involved in worthwhile activities, the less likely it is that they will take a wrong turn toward becoming unproductive citizens,” said State Representative John Siptroth, one of the project’s supporters. “I encourage community members to become involved,” he added.

The project’s steering committee is seeking ideas and input from the community, including those who want to help organize the program. They are encouraged to contact mentor@pikeyouth.org. More information, including a sign up form for young people looking for a mentor and volunteers who are interested in mentoring, is located at www.pikeyouth.org/mentor.

Milford–The Pike County Youth Coalition will award two scholarships to graduating seniors at Delaware Valley High School this year. The scholarship application tasks students with completing the following prompt:

“Imagine you are one of the Pike County Commissioners. If you had to pick one issue to work on that directly affects young people in the county, what would it be and what would you do?" Winning submissions will be presented at the Youth Coalition’s annual dinner in front of community leaders and to the Pike County Commissioners. One award will be in the amount of $250, the other will be $100. In addition, a $50 Amazon.com gift certificate will be awarded to an applicant at random, just for applying. The deadline is May 15th.

The Pike County Youth Coalition is a youth-led non-profit organization that seeks to educate the community about youth issues, service a resource for young people, and encourage greater youth volunteerism and civic engagement. More information, including the submission form, is available at www.pikeyouth.org/awards. Download the application here: http://www.mediafire.com/download.php?tmejqm3iiym.

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Media Contact:

Kaitlin Paul, Communications Director

press@pikeyouth.org, (845) 741-2754

A dozen members of the Pike County Youth Volunteer Corps recently participated in the annual Dr. Martin Luther King Day of Service, making it “a day on, not a day off.”

Organized by the Pike County Youth Coalition, the event dispatched young volunteers to both Milford Senior Care and Rehabilitation Center and the Pike County Humane Society. The day started at 9 a.m. with a kick-off breakfast in the Delaware Valley High School cafeteria. Transportation to the volunteer sites was donated by Krise Bus Company.

Emily Dorko, a DVHS senior, opted to help out at the Humane Society.

“I like working with animals and figured this was a great way to spend the Day of Service,” she said. “Volunteering has become an integral part of my life, just through certain clubs I'm involved in, and am glad to have been able to do my part.”



Volunteers cleaned out cages, swept floors and completed odd jobs around the Shohola institution. At the Senior Care Center, volunteers spent time with residents: playing chess, cutting out paper snowflakes, competing in Nintendo Wii video games, piecing together puzzles, and talking.

Josh Davis, a DVHS senior, said he had such a good time volunteering at the Center that he'd like to return.

“It was a really great day of volunteering. All of us made friends with our respective residents,” he said. “It was a cool experience that I'd definitely do again.”

The Pike County Youth Volunteer Corps is a group of under-24 year-olds who are dedicated to giving back to their community on a regular basis. Its afterschool program takes place twice per month and is made possible by the Pike County United Way and the Broad Street Boardwalk Creamery. If you’re organization is in need of volunteers or if you would like to join or support the Youth Volunteer Corps, please visit www.pikeyouth.org/volunteer.

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View a short video here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TWzDNxK7d2E

Media Contact:

Kaitlin Paul, Communications Director press@pikeyouth.org (845) 741-2754

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, 1/25/09

PCYC Wins Funding for Youth Engagement Project

Philadelphia–Four members of the Pike County Youth Coalition were among dozens of other Millennial Generation leaders to participate in a conference entitled, “Constitutional Convention: Building Democracy 2.0,” from January 9-11 at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia, PA. Convened by Mobilize.org, the conference included a deliberative discussion on the present state of American democracy, a simulated 21st century Constitutional Convention, and a grant competition in which eleven teams competed for funding for youth-led civics projects.

PCYC’s Kathryn Braisted, Samantha Dutkus, Alex Lotorto and Ben McKean attended the conference and submitted the organization’s new initiative, “School Board 2.0.” The group describes the project as a way to use technology to improve democracy on a local level.

“School Board 2.0 is a web-based initiative designed not only to provide greater transparency in local government, but also to educate and engage more young people in civic participation,” said Lotorto.

He said once the project is developed, it will offer, among other features, live-streaming of each monthly school board meeting, an archive of relevant documents and video content, and a hi-tech community forum to facilitate online deliberation. Although the platform will be targeted to young people, Lotorto said anyone in the community will have access to the site.



“Since many students cannot attend school board meetings, our goal is to bring the meetings to them in a meaningful way so that they can see what their democracy is all about and have an interactive venue to express their ideas,” added Dutkus.

Three panels of expert judges, which included non-profit executives and civic leaders, judged the team on its detailed project proposal and multiple rounds of presentations. Based on their evaluations and peer voting, “School Board 2.0” was one of only two projects that received a grant for full funding, amounting to $6,000 over the next year.

“It’s Democracy 2.0 in action, and a great concept that could be used as a model for other people to build on across the country,” said David Smith, a judge and also the Executive Director of the National Conference on Citizenship, following the group’s final presentation. “It’s a way to engage young people in the political process with something that directly impacts them, and making that connection is really important,” added another judge, Jeanette Senecal, Senior Director of e- Democracy for the League of Woman Voters.

Organizers say the project, which will be overseen by PCYC’s Committee on Civic Engagement, is set to launch in about two months.

The Pike County Youth Coalition is a youth-led non-profit organization that seeks to educate the community about youth issues, service a resource for young people, and encourage greater youth volunteerism and civic engagement. More information can be found online at www.pikeyouth.org.

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Attached photo: Alex Lotorto, Kathryn Braisted, Samantha Dutkus, Ben McKean (left to right)

Media Contact:

Kaitlin Paul, Communications Director; press@pikeyouth.org; (845) 741-2754