Here's another winner of the National Liberty Museum's 2009 Young Heroes Award, sponsored by TD Bank. Every year, we recognize students who demonstrate responsibility and good character. For some of our Young Heroes, that means they volunteer their time to community service, or they work to defuse violence and bullying, or perhaps they raise awareness of important causes.

TJ is one of our 2009 Young Heroes, and he has really put his generosity into action, along with a lot of initiative and perseverance.  Almost single-handedly, he started a “Coaches Versus Cancer” fundraiser at his school.  He worked with the administration, the student government, the athletic directors, and the school district to found what is now an annual tradition. It wasn't always easy, but he let no obstacle hinder his vision or prevent him from reaching his goals. Because of his determination to meet with local college and professional sports teams, line up corporate sponsors, and organize raffles and donations, the event was a success – they raised $22,000 for cancer research!

Do you know any heroes, 18 years old or younger, who are doing some outstanding things in your school or community? Nominate them for a 2010 Young Heroes Award. To see more of the 2009 Young Heroes (and heroes of all ages), visit the National Liberty Museum! We're open Tuesday - Sunday, 10:00 am to 5:00 pm.

Every year, the National Liberty Museum shines a spotlight on a handful of phenomenal kids with our Young Heroes Award, sponsored by TD Bank. Sometimes when people see a problem that needs fixing, they assume that someone else will take care of it. Not our Young Heroes. They remind us all, young and old alike, that the problems we see are OUR responsibility, and that with a healthy helping of teamwork we can change the world for the better.

Mary, Grace, Gerald, Alyssa, Alexandra, Molly, Brianna, Julia, and Alexis lead the Just Do It Committee at their school. Four years ago, the Committee began to organize fellow students and motivate them to get involved and make a difference.  Just Do It has raised  money for charities like Alex’s Lemonade Stand, the Make-a-Wish Foundation, the Ronald McDonald House, the March of Dimes, Autism Speaks, and the Parkinson’s Disease Foundation. The group’s generosity, the way they give freely of their time and resources, is astounding. They show us that when we work together, we can do just about anything.

Do you know any heroes, 18 years old or younger, who are doing some outstanding things in your school or community? Nominate them for a 2010 Young Heroes Award. To see more of the 2009 Young Heroes (and heroes of all ages), visit the National Liberty Museum! We're open Tuesday - Sunday, 10:00 am to 5:00 pm.

We've just unveiled our latest "Young Heroes" exhibit in partnership with TD Bank. Come on in to the National Liberty Museum and check out the newest awardees, all students who have made the world better by sharing their time, talents, and resources.  Here's one of them:

Erica is multitalented, and boy is she generous with her talents and time! Erica can sing, dance, and act. She excels at academics. She’s opened for Aretha Franklin in front of a sold-out crowd, is a member of Philadelphia’s All City Choir, and dazzled tens of thousands of Phillies fans with her rendition of the National Anthem. Instead of using these gifts for her own glory, though, she uses them to give back. She organizes regular clean-ups around her neighborhood, and performs at events for the Philadelphia Prison System. She has organized voter drives, volunteered for President Obama’s campaign, and translated for citizens on Election Day.

Does her generosity know no bounds? Well, she hasn't found any yet.  Keep up the good work, Erica!

Do you know any heroes, 18 years old or younger, who are doing some outstanding things in your school or community? Nominate them for a 2010 TD Bank Young Heroes Award. To see more of the 2009 TD Bank Young Heroes (and heroes of all ages), visit the National Liberty Museum! We're open Tuesday - Sunday, 10:00 am to 5:00 pm.

Did you know that this year, Philadelphia had the world’s largest Martin Luther King Day of Service? It's not the first time, either. In fact, this city organized the very first King Day of Service in 1996.

That year, not even the worst blizzard in Philadelphia history could stop volunteers from lending a hand - 1000 people turned out to help with dozens of service projects. This year, we had at least 1000 service projects! The 15th annual Greater Philadelphia Martin Luther King Day of Service brought more than 70,000 people together to carry on Dr. King’s legacy.

MANNA and African Daughters of Fine Lineage worked together to feed hundreds of homeless men, women, and children. The Comcast Corporation and Philadelphia Reads partnered up to spread literacy, training volunteers to become reading coaches. The Red Cross and the Crispus Attucks Association hosted a blood drive together. Students from the Perelman Jewish Day School and the Al-Aqsa Islamic Academy collaborated for the 9th straight year, making “Dignity Kits” with clothing and toiletries for the needy.

How did you serve?  Send us your stories so we can spread the good news!  Here are some projects that other readers have told us about:

The Interact Club at Cinnaminson High School in New Jersey invited the Red Cross workers to come talk with the students about working in shelters.  The Interact Club also organized an activity where students made care packages and wrote personal greetings for troops overseas.

Kylan Watson, a 2008 National Liberty Museum Young Hero, wrote to tell us about an event at the Nazarene Baptist Church in the Nicetown section of the city. After a presentation by the Philadelphia Police Department about the effects of drug abuse, Kylan participated in a panel discussion about the state of the African-American family.  There was a spirited discussion of generation gaps, single-parent households, and the responsibilities African-Americans have to each other and to society as a whole.

Kylan also mentioned an important point - you don't have to wait for next January to serve your community. We are challenged to serve every day of the year. Want some ideas for a great new service project? Would you like to find a project near you? For all this and a lot more, check out the President's new web site, serve.gov.  And let us know what projects you are working on!