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ONE Generation Goes Back to School
Committed youth recruiting and organizing ONE members across the state

LAS VEGAS, NV -- ONE Generation Nevada, ONE’s corps of younger volunteers, are going back to school this week with some new homework -- raising awareness on global poverty with their classmates, teachers and family members. Students from elementary schools to colleges are joining with Nevada’s 17,000 ONE members in taking on the challenge to increase access to basic education, fight extreme poverty and prevent thousands of deaths a day from curable, treatable diseases. 

ONE Generation members will spend the next school year actively organizing at their respective campuses, mobilizing students to take part in letter-writing campaigns, volunteering their time to raise awareness and if they are of voting age, participating in the Nevada caucuses.   
“The 2008 election will be the first time I cast a ballot,” said Sierra High school senior Andy Mendez. “As president of the Aid for Africa club, I will be making sure my club members know where the candidates stand on ending global poverty so that we make an informed vote.” 
“Over 77 million kids around the world didn’t get to enjoy a ‘first day of school’ and we want to be their voice for justice,” Taylor Prince, president of the newest chapter of ONE at Coronado High School said, referencing the 77 million children around the world who don’t have access to basic education, the vast majority of whom are girls.

“Although I won’t be able to vote in the 2008 election, I am making my voice heard by joining with the two and a half million members of ONE throughout the nation,” Reno middle school student Ryan Dhindsa said.  “I can also influence my parents to vote for the candidate who commits to doing more for those who need America’s help the most.”

College athlete and recent Durango High school grad Amy Schlauder just returned from 3 weeks in Africa. Amy said, “Going to Africa has become a part of my life and a part of me. These kids will affect me every day for the rest of my life. You look at their sweet faces and begin to ask the hard questions. ‘What should we do?’ ‘What can we do?’ And, ‘what will we do to save their lives?’ The answers begin with us. My generation is going to be vital in the fight against extreme poverty and disease.” 

“It is such an idealistic time of life as students learn about the world we live in. They are just beginning to realize that they can change the world and ONE Generation is giving an outlet for these kids to do just that.” ONE Volunteer Coordinator and Clark County School District teacher Adam Bellamy said. “I believe my students will jump at the chance to be involved in the ONE Generation project.”

ONE Generation is signing new members up at college campuses throughout Nevada this week and will be kicking off an educational program in a school near you. To learn more or to schedule a presentation at your school, contact ONE Nevada State Director Megan Jones at 702.266.7721 or via email at mjones@one.org. 

ONE Nevada’s 17,000 members are engaging presidential candidates as they travel the Silver State. From Elko with Governor Romney to Pahrump with Senator Clinton, ONE members have been everywhere making sure the candidates for president know that voters in Nevada are concerned about their stance on access to clean water, universal basic education for 77 million children and what they will do to stop the spread of preventable disease.

ONE Vote ’08: Saving Lives, Securing our Future aims to secure commitments from contenders for the presidential nominations of both major political parties to implement solutions to problems associated with global disease and extreme poverty. The non-partisan effort brings together a broad range of talent including ONE Vote ’08 co-chairs, former Senate Majority Leaders Bill Frist (R-TN) and Tom Daschle (D-SD), along with former Senator Bob Kerrey (D-NE), Jack Oliver, Steve Jarding, Dina Powell, Donna Brazile, John Podesta, Tucker Eskew, Mike McCurry, pollsters Geoff Garin, John McLaughlin, New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, actor Matt Damon, and evangelical pastor, Rev. Brian McLaren, and many others. ONE Vote ’08 is a project of ONE: The Campaign to Make Poverty History.

ONE: THE CAMPAIGN TO MAKE POVERTY HISTORY is a new effort by Americans to rally Americans to fight the emergency of global AIDS and extreme poverty. ONE is a coalition of millions of Americans and more than 100 of the nation's leading relief, humanitarian and advocacy organizations.

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