100 Best Communities for Young People
The 100 Best Communities for Young People, presented by ING, recognizes and celebrates extraordinary community-wide efforts to improve the well-being of youth and end the nation’s dropout crisis. More than 350 communities registered for this year’s competition, representing large cities and suburbs, counties and rural towns in all 50 states. Winning efforts are as varied as local needs, imaginations and willingness to work together. Any community committed to its young people – and acting on that commitment – is encouraged to apply.
The 2010 100 Best Communities for Young People will be announced on September 21 at a national event in Washington, D.C.
We’re excited to announce the members of the official 2010 100 Best Communities for Young People Selection Panel. The winning communities will be chosen by a prestigious group of national leaders in education and youth issues. The panel, led by Rhonda Mims, president of the ING Foundation and Marguerite Kondracke, president and CEO of America’s Promise Alliance, includes former elected officials, national nonprofit and business leaders, and prominent youth advocates.
The competition:
- Showcases innovative community solutions to the challenges young people face
- Motivates local leaders to work together for real change
- Channels civic pride into effective action on behalf of young people
- Builds awareness of our nation’s dropout crisis and the supports children need to succeed
- Demonstrates the importance and effectiveness of collaboration through partnerships
- Helps communities share successful strategies
- Challenges all communities to become great places to grow up
What Winning Communities Gain:
- National recognition and media exposure
- Financial and logistic support to celebrate selection at a local event
- Commemorative awards to be displayed in the community
- Exposure to Alliance partner resources and the insights of other winning communities through an innovative online space to exchange ideas
- Invitations to exclusive online informational events featuring Alliance partners designed to strengthen local efforts
How to Apply:
The application period for the 2010 100 Best Communities has now closed. Check this page for more information on how you can register your community for the 2011 competition, and sign up for our weekly newsletter, the America’s Promise Bulletin, to stay up-to-date on all things 100 Best.
Questions?
Please contact Jordan LaPier, Senior Director, 100 Best Communities for Young People, at (202) 657-0635 or 100BestHelp@americaspromise.org.