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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact David Brown: 202-659-1064
Edward DeJesus: 301-216-2566
Ed@ydrf.com

5/4/2005

Edward DeJesus elected Vice-Chair of National Youth Employment Coalition

The National Youth Employment Coalition (NYEC) Board of Directors election concluded on March 4 and the results have been tabulated and released. NYEC congratulates Edward DeJesus of Gaithersburg, MD. The race was neck-and-neck to the end of the election. Only 16 votes separated 12 of the top 13 vote-getters.

NYEC is a national youth network of more than 250 youth employment organizations throughout the Unites States advocating for employment and training opportunities for our nation’s at-risk youth. NYEC’s Board consists of fifteen members, half of which is elected every two years; Board members serve a voluntary four-year term. This year, 22 candidates, representing member organizations, were nominated and ran for seven seats on the Board. Sixty-eight (68) percent of the eligible member organizations cast votes in the election, more than twice the votes needed for the one-third quorum required by NYEC’s by-laws. For the first time, the Board election was competitive and voting was conducted exclusively on-line. The ballot included names and demographics of continuing board members and candidates and candidate photos, biographies, and statements of intent. Voters selected up to seven of the 22 candidates and were asked to take into account candidates’ demographics to create a diverse Board.

“One of the most pressing issues we face as a nation is youth unemployment and the number of youth who are out-of-school and out-of-work. If the public really had an idea of what is happening to millions of youth, a national state of emergency would have been declared a long time ago,” states DeJesus. As a NYEC Board Member, DeJesus has committed to work feverishly to place this issue on the national agenda.

DeJesus, a Bronx native, is one of the most sought-after experts in the youth services field. With more than 20 years of experience, DeJesus brings his love for research, practice and youth culture to youth organizations and the young people they serve. DeJesus has addressed more than 300 youth service organizations and community groups, as well as over 75,000 young adults. In addition to his direct service experience, DeJesus has blended practice with policy and advocacy by working with the Sar Levitan Center for Youth Policies at John Hopkins University and serving on the Task Force on Employment Opportunities for young offenders for the U.S. Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention. Currently DeJesus is working on a report for the United States Department of Labor of disconnected youth.

DeJesus is the President and Founder of the Youth Development and Research Fund, Inc. (YDRF), the leading authority on urban youth employment and educational issues. YDRF is based in Montgomery Village, MD. DeJesus received his BA from Fordham University and a M.S. from the New School for Social Research. He is a graduate of Rutgers University’s Center for Strategic Urban Community Leadership Program and a W.K. Kellogg Foundation National Fellow. In 2000, DeJesus was selected as one of the top 40 under 40 n the Washington Metropolitan Area for his commitment to young people who need options beyond the streets.

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