May 2014

Spring has sprung and Young Leaders have the spotlight!

with Newsletter Editor, Elizabeth Fischer Laurie

Summer is almost here and what better time than to get out and enjoy all that DC has to offer. In this edition of the newsletter, we feature a number of upcoming government-related events (Public Service Recognition Week, Millennial Week, and an opportunity to volunteer at the Capital Area Food Bank) but there is so much more going on in DC this summer.

If you enjoy spending time outside, check out Hill Country's Backyard Barbecue or the National Galley's Sculpture Garden's Jazz in the Park. For a dose of history, visit Arlington National Cemetery, which is commemorating 150 years this summer, or take a hike at Great Falls Park, a favorite in my household.

If you are like me and prefer to be indoors when the mercury rises, play the tourist and check out some new museums or even some old ones. 

The dinosaur exhibit may be gone at the Museum of Natural History, but you can learn more about Bollywood or the Human Genome in the special exhibit space. If art is more your thing, check out the upcoming Degas/Cassatt exhibit at the National Gallery or check out one of the smaller art museums here in DC, such as the National Museum of Women in the Arts (I went the other day and it is a great space!). 

There are also some great performances going on at the Kennedy Center. I saw "The Magic Flute" at Opera in the Outfield this past weekend and it is absolutely fantastic. If you like musicals, both "The Lion King" and "Evita" will be offered. And, if you are 18-30 years old or an active duty member of the military, check out MyTix for discount ticket opportunities.

Clearly this list could go on and on. Whatever you decide to do this summer, remember to get out and have some fun, meet new people, eat some great food, engage in a little culture, volunteer, and enjoy the amazing opportunities this city has to offer.

President's Corner

by Ginny Hill

It's Public Service Recognition Week (PSRW)! As you can see from our newsletter and the busy calendar of events associated with PSRW, people are making a big deal out of this. This week symbolizes the positive energy that public servants bring to our jobs. It symbolizes the need for recognition of the accomplishments and activities of dedicated people like yourself. With budgets being cut, agencies may not have the resources to reward employees with monetary awards or even plaques. But many public servants don't do it for the money; we are motivated by the sense of purpose we bring to our work. We are connected to the missions of our agencies and that's what keeps us motivated.  Still, it helps to be recognized for our hard work, and that's what PSRW celebrates. We hope to see you out at events in the first week of May and beyond. PSRW is one week long, but YGL celebrates public service year-round!

We want to hear from you!

Did your chapter do something awesome this month? Have a member who deserves to be featured in an upcoming newsletter? Want to share information about a nationally available event?

Contact Newsletter Editor and YGL Chief of Staff, Elizabeth Fischer Laurie, at chiefofstaff@younggov.org to share your story. Content and photos may be featured in our newly redesigned national monthly newsletter.

Volunteer with Fellow Feds at Capital Area Food Bank

Join YGL members at the Capital Area Food Bank (CAFB). The Capital Area Food Bank is the hub for food sourcing, food distribution and nutrition education in the Washington metro area, serving those struggling with hunger. Projects typically involve packing and/or sorting donated food. Work may also include packing for CAFB programs, and assisting with various other tasks at the food bank. 

The Details: 

• Saturday, May 31, 2014 
• 12:30 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.
• Location: 4900 Puerto Rico Ave. NE, Washington, DC (Brookland/CUA Metro. Shuttle service available from Brookland/CUA Metro.)

For more information about the Capital Area Food Bank visit the website. 

Please contact the Events Director, Lillian Amaechi, eventschair@younggov.org if you would like to RSVP.

Millennial Week is almost here!

YGL is an event partner of Millennial Week DC, a social and cultural platform targeted to the US Millennial audience. Millennial Week will be hosting over 5 events including Millennial Made. Millennial Made will present an evening filled with wine sips and delicious bites crafted by Millennial entrepreneurs in the food industry. This event will include live cooking stations manned by young chefs from Union Kitchen, a first of its kind Millennial owned start-up hub for DC food entrepreneurs. Millennial Made will feature a wine tasting from Vinolovers, a 5 flavored Gelato Station and Moonshine cocktails from Bloomery Sweetshine.

The Details: 

• Thursday, June 5, 2014 
• 6:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
• Location: WeWork, 641 S Street NW, Washington, DC

YGL & Capital Cause Invite you to Millennial Week's Day of Service

YES WE CAN:  Makeover Middle Schools

On Saturday, June 7, 2014, Millennials will take over DC Public Schools middle schools where at least 70% of children struggle with reading and math, and will involve volunteers in creating cultural and career-ready academic environments.   

Together with young philanthropists across the city, during Millennial Week, volunteers will gift youth with the tools they need to prepare for a brighter future! Working closely with school administrators to prepare learning environments with career-ready, college-ready and culturally-relevant murals, messages, tools and information – volunteers will create learning environments that educate youth and inspire them to be future-focused. 

Please contact Events Director, Lillian Amaechi, eventschair@younggov.org or CLO, Miguel Joey Aviles, CLO@younggov.org to get information about serving as a volunteer.

The Details: 

• Saturday, June 7, 2014
• 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
• Location: TBD

NextGen Public Service Awards

Young Government Leaders (YGL) and GovLoop present the NextGen Public Service Awards for superior public service and achievement. The 4th Annual NextGen Public Service Awards will be given at the 2014 NextGen Award’s Ceremony, which will kick off the NextGen Training Summit on July 23rd in Washington, DC. 

YGL and GovLoop continue to bring together those dedicating their intelligence, exuberance and professional lives to improving and invigorating the public service field. The NextGen Public Service Awards will highlight 15 individuals and 6 groups who are among the cohort of government talent seeking to cut through the red tape holding back efficient and effective governance and public service in a number of categories.

The deadline for nominations is Sunday, May 11, 2014. 

Find out more and submit a nomination or two for your favorite public servants here.

CLO Connection by Miguel Joey Aviles

The Power of Resilience

YGL University in conjunction with the Graduate School USA sponsored the first event for Women Emerging Leaders, “The Power of Resilience.” Over 30 women ready to accept leadership positions engaged in an insightful talk with former GSA Administrator and best selling author of the book “On My Watch,” Martha Johnson.  

Ms. Johnson resigned her position in 2012 after an inspector general’s report revealed lavish conference spending by the agency. As emerging leaders start accepting leadership positions, resilience is 
becoming a must have soft skill. The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines resilience as, “the ability to become strong, healthy, or successful again after something bad happens.” 

The founder of the blog “What Pretty Does,” Tiffany L. Carter, summarized the four resilience tips shared by Ms. Johnson via her Twitter account:

1. Your network should include people who confront you and tell you the truth.
2. Have people in your network who can comfort you.
3. Have people who can clarify things for you and give you an independent opinion.
4. Have people who can celebrate with you!

Young Emerging Leaders are evolving in one of the most disruptive times in history; resilience is not option, but a necessity.

The Latest from FEDManager.com with Lynnie Martin

Recently Lynnie Martin interviewed Melanie Keller, Associate Director for Management at the Center for Drug Evaluation and Research at the Food and Drug Administration. In this role, Keller directs the human capital management of more than 4,500 employees after starting as a GS-5 Secretary years ago. Keller discusses what she looks for in potential employees when making hiring decisions, shares lessons she has learned throughout her career, provides tips on interacting with supervisors, and much more. You can read the full article here. Each month, the Young Government Leaders' feature column offers a fresh perspective on news and information, not just for current and future generations of YGL, but to all feds interested in hearing from those who will meet the next set of challenges facing the federal government. More articles relevant to your professional life can be found on fedmanager.com.

YGL & the Federal Times with Tyler Robinson

YGL's Chairman, Tyler Robinson, regularly writes for federaltimes.com. 

In April, Tyler wrote about telework, a hot topic in many agencies throughout the federal government. Tyler argues that many articles focus on the benefits of telework, but it is important to examine the challenges as well. Read more in the full article.

Public Service Week Events

Public Service Recognition Week (PSRW) is time set aside to honor the women and men who serve our nation as federal, state, county and local government employees. Throughout the country, elected officials, agency leaders, communities and public service organizations participate by issuing proclamations, hosting tribute events and highlighting stories of excellence in government service.

The theme for PSRW 2014 is Proud to Serve. We hope public employees and leaders alike will take the opportunity to communicate the benefits and value of the work they do. To help spread the word, like us on Facebook and join the conversation on Twitter: #PSRW and #Proud2ServeUSA.

Washington Nationals Baseball Game Join others in Public Service to watch the Washington Nationals take on the Los Angeles Dodgers. To celebrate PSRW, the Nationals are offering discounted tickets to government employees and will pay tribute to public servants in attendance. And if you cannot attend May 6th you can still use the discount code for any home game during the 2014 regular season. Click here for more information and to receive your discount code. The details: Tuesday, May 6th 7:05 p.m. Nationals Park, Washington, DC

Public Service Town Hall

Thursday, May 8, 9:00 a.m.
Join ABC News Political Commentator Cokie Roberts and federal leaders for a town hall discussion about the value of government service and the dedicated men and women who deliver that value on behalf of the American people every day. Register here.

The details:

• Thursday, May 8th
• 9:00 a.m.
• Partnership for Public Service
  1100 New York Avenue, NW
  Suite 200 East
  Washington, DC 

Not in the DC area? Register here to view the event via livestream.

Young Government Leaders is a 5,000 member, non-profit organization committed to providing the authentic voice for our generation of aspiring government leaders. We are actively building a community of leadership for young public servants across the country through professional development activities, networking opportunities, social events, seminars, fellowships, and scholarships. You can find out more and join for free on our website.