Nominate a Young Female Social Entrepreneur for the Gladys Marinelli Coccia Award

As my last post may have hinted, I'm always excited to see awards recognizing young people's meaningful contributions to their communities. This kind of recognition is important because it helps to highlight otherwise unseen stories of success, acknowledges the unique contributions that young people can make, and inspires others to engage in working for a better world.

Youth Service America has just launched the first annual Gladys Marinelli Coccia Awards to recognize two young female social entrepreneurs, ages 14 to 17, whose initiatives serve the common good. The awards have been created to honor the memory of Gladys Coccia, who started her entrepreneurial career as a 15-year old girl living in West Virginia and later became a very successful businesswoman in Washington, DC.

The award includes:
* $2000 for the social enterprise
* Travel and registration to YSA’s Youth Service Institute
* Serve as a spokesperson for YSA’s initiatives
* Invitation to serve on the executive board of Girls Helping Girls
* Access to YSA’s resources to support and expand social enterprise

Girls who meet the following criteria are eligible for the award:
* Between the ages of 14 and 17 on December 31, 2009.
* Located in the United States. Special consideration will be given to nominees located in West Virginia and Metro Washington DC.
* Have her own social enterprise.
* Be supported by contributions of at least $1000 (cash and/or in-kind).
* Have a business plan, including an itemized budget

The deadline to begin an online nomination is June 15 and the deadline to complete a nomination is June 30. To access the eligibility quiz and the nomination form, visit http://www.blogger.com/www.ysa.org/awards or email coccia@ysa.org.