MLK Day

Martin Luther King Jr. Achieving Greatness Through Service

Students gather to plan MLK Youth Service Day

Develop your leadership skills...

Join the MLK Youth Leadership Team!

The Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service has become one of Dane County's most anticipated annual youth leadership events. The event is planned by the MLK Youth Leadership Team - a committee of middle and high school students. The Council is a collaborative effort of the Urban League, the Dane County Youth Board, and United Way of Dane County.

There is no cost to participate and youth learn valuable leadership skills in a fun setting with their peers.

To learn more about becoming a member, email MLKcouncil@ulgm.org or call (608) 251-8550.

Youth MCs from past MLK Youth Service Day programs.

Preparing to celebrate its 10th anniversary, The Martin Luther King, Jr. Achieving Greatness Through Service Initiative is a county-wide collaborative project, led by the Urban League, to promote positive youth development and learning during out-of-school hours. Participation is open to all middle and high school students in Dane County. The program, which is part of the Urban League's college readiness and career development efforts, consists of three main components:

The Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service: Held annually on the King Holiday, 500+ youth come together to observe the King Holiday as a day of service… "A Day On, Not A Day Off." This inspirational forum includes interactive educational workshops, speakers, and the creative expressions of their peers followed by community service projects. .

The 100 Hour Youth Volunteer Challenge: Encourages students to perform at least 100 hours of volunteer service. Students that complete the challenge receive the President’s Volunteers Service Award through the Urban League.

The MLK Youth Leadership Team: Middle and high school students learn leadership skills by planning the MLK Day of Service activities and promoting civic engagement among their peers throughout the year.

The program encourages young people to honor the life and work of Dr. King by serving in their communities—by making the holiday "a day ON, not a day off." During his lifetime, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. sought to forge the common ground on which people from all walks of life could join together as equals to address important community issues. Service, he realized, was the great equalizer. As he once said, "Everybody can be great, because everybody can serve." By encouraging civic engagement in the spirit of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., students are provided with opportunities to:

Make meaningful contributions to their community.
Develop leadership and other important skills
Build their college portfolio.
Interact with peers from diverse racial, cultural, religious, and geographic backgrounds.

High school students leading a workshop for their peers.

Tammy Baldwin Presents Awards

U.S. Congresswoman Tammy Baldwin Presents President's Student Service Awards to students who completed the 100-Hour Challenge.

Earn the President's Volunteer Service Award...

Take the 100-Hour Challenge!

The 100-Hour Challenge is a pledge taken by local middle and high school students to provide at least 100 hours of volunteer service over a 12-month period. Students that complete their service are eligible to receive the President’s Volunteer Service Award. As an official certifying organization, the Urban League presents the award to Dane County recipients each year as part of the annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday observance.

Award recipients receive:

An official President’s Volunteer Service Award pin.
A personalized certificate of achievement.
A note of congratulations from the President of the United States.
A letter from the President’s Council on Service and Civic Participation.

To register for the challenge send an email to 100hour@ulgm.org or call (608) 251-8550.

To track your volunteer hours online, follow the steps below. Following these steps will us allow us to certify you automatically for the award. The link at the end of these instructions will take you away from the Urban League website.

1. On the PVSA home page, click "LOGIN" on the top right side of the page.

2. Click "SIGN UP FOR YOUR VOLUNTEER RECORD HERE"

3. Start by following the instructions and entering your general information.

4. Click the "CREATE MY RECORD OF SERVICE" button

5. At the next screen, click the "EDIT" link in the box labeled "Your Account"

6. In your profile, enter the following in the field labeled "YOUR CERTIFYING ORGANIZATION"

CO-FCX-4963J

Certifying Organization Code

By keeping your volunteer service records on this site, we can ensure that you receive your award.

Click here to enter the PVSA website

Eligibility:

Gold Award: ALL youth, kindergarten through college, who have performed at least 100 hours of service by December 31, are eligible to receive a gold pin and certificate from the President of the United States.

Silver Award: ALL youth, ages 5 to 14 (kindergarten through eighth grade), who have performed at least 50 hours of service by December 31, are eligible to receive a silver pin and certificate from the President of the United States.

151 East Gorham Street · Madison, WI 53703 · ph 608.251.8550 · fax 608.251.0944