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The Jefferson Awards/Deloitte Youth Service Initiative Announces The Winner of The San Francisco Bay Area Regional 'Role Model High School' Competition

Posted on: Monday, 27 April 2009, 14:02 CDT

Livermore High School Will Compete in the National Award Competition and Attend Award Ceremony in Washington, D.C.

SAN FRANCISCO, April 27 /PRNewswire/ -- The Jefferson Awards/Deloitte Youth Service Initiative (YSI), a program created in collaboration with Deloitte to pass the tradition of volunteerism along to our youth and help double volunteerism in America's high schools, has named Livermore High School in Livermore, California, the Regional Role Model High School for the 2008-2009 school year. Livermore High School was selected from a highly competitive group of 30 Bay Area high schools across San Jose, Oakland, San Francisco, Peninsula and Contra Costa counties.

"The students of Livermore have demonstrated strong community leadership at a time when our country is placing renewed focus on youth volunteerism in America," said Jack Russi, National Managing Partner, Corporate Development, Deloitte LLP. "We are proud to honor the Livermore YSI students as role models for other high schools to emulate as they develop their own volunteerism programs."

An independent panel of judges selected Livermore High School based on the school's success in rolling out a new healthy foods program, its engagement of faculty support, the development of a detailed tracking system for student volunteer hours and the successful recruitment of a new school into the YSI program. Concerned about high rates of childhood obesity and diabetes, the Livermore High School Jefferson Awards/Deloitte Youth Services students focused on creating a school-wide program to improve health and nutrition at their school, with the goal of expanding the program to neighboring schools across the Bay Area. In partnership with nutritionists and the Agricultural Department, Livermore now provides two to three vegetable and fruit lunch selections per day, and it has instituted various measures to ensure Livermore's food programs meet the healthy food guidelines set forth by the American Heart Association. It is also striving to increase availability of organic products and regularly consults with local organic farmers and sustainability experts.

"Livermore High School is new to the YSI program, and in less than three months, the students accomplished goals that some schools need years to accomplish," said Dina Bartello, regional director of the Jefferson Awards YSI. "These students have already had a positive impact on their community, and we look forward to the expansion of their healthy foods program within their own school and the larger Bay Area school community."

Burlingame High School placed second in the YSI awards for its positive community impacts, particularly around its Gateways to Service program which connects students with volunteer opportunities at local community organizations, while San Leandro High School placed third for its youth tutoring and community fundraising events. In addition, Las Lomas High School, Sequoia High School, Gunderson High School, Galileo High School and Oakland Military Institute were awarded the "Most Progress" awards for their respective regions.

A portion of the funding and support for The Jefferson Awards/Deloitte Youth Service Initiative was provided through Deloitte's Problem Solvers Fund, a national grant program that aligns Deloitte's charitable giving with its strategic approach of helping people and communities thrive by using its best thinking to build stronger nonprofits. The Problem Solvers Fund provides large-scale grants to support local community initiatives where Deloitte employees are deeply engaged in pro bono and other skills-based volunteer projects to help nonprofit organizations increase their capacity to address critical social issues. Through the Deloitte Problem Solvers Fund (www.deloitte.com/us/problemsolvers), The Jefferson Awards/Deloitte Youth Service Initiative has provided approximately $1 million worth of skilled services, including 25 volunteer coaches to work directly with high schools; twice-yearly leadership training to YSI students, coaches and teachers; and development of the system YSI schools use to measure and track progress, which judges used to help determine Livermore as winner.

In addition to Deloitte, corporate sponsors of the Youth Service Awards in the Bay Area include Wells Fargo, United Way, Visa and Ronnie Lott's All Stars Helping Kids.

About the Jefferson Awards

The Jefferson Awards for Public Service was founded in 1972 by Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, Senator Robert Taft, Jr. and Sam Beard to create a Noble Prize for public and community service. The mission of the Jefferson Awards is to encourage and honor individuals for their achievements and contributions through public and community service.

About YSI

The Jefferson Awards Youth Service Initiative was created in association with Deloitte with the aggressive goal of passing the tradition of volunteerism along to our youth and helping double volunteerism in America's high schools. The strategy is to create Jefferson Awards youth leadership teams in each high school, and by providing the Jefferson Awards recognition system, leadership and ethical decision-making training, and hands-on coaching, the initiative hopes to create the "Help Desk of Help" at each high school. The leadership teams celebrate great volunteers, inspire others to get involved and help raise additional resources to expand volunteer activities in areas of need.

For more information about the Jefferson Awards and the Youth Service Initiative, visit our web site at www.jeffersonawards.org.

About Deloitte

As used in this document, "Deloitte" means Deloitte LLP and Deloitte Services LP, a subsidiary of Deloitte LLP. Please see www.deloitte.com/us/about for a detailed description of the legal structure of Deloitte LLP and its subsidiaries.

Contact: Jessica Heine Public Relations Deloitte +1 415 783 5007 jheine@deloitte.com

SOURCE Deloitte

Source: PR Newswire

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