Hundreds of screaming teenagers. Twenty-minute ambassador family speech. Four tricycles. Two beauty queens. And for those who choose, a partridge in a pear tree. String these together with a master of ceremonies, celebrity judges, and an operating budget of about a hundred dollars and one has fashioned an energetic, low-stress, youth-oriented fund-raising event.

The MOD Squad, a high school fund-raising event developed by the March of Dimes Maine Chapter, is a simplified Olympic-style competition designed to capitalize on existing high school rivalries. Area schools are asked to form a team by raising a thousand dollars. This can be done simply by having a hundred students donate ten dollars in order to participate on the team, or, for those ambitious events-organizers, through various bake sales, raffles and student auctions.

Once the teams are formed, the games commence. Here is where it gets really thrilling. Although this is a fund-raising event, and an excellent WalkAmerica wrap-around at that, it has great potential for also being a mission-focused activity. Students from each school race against one another in various relay-style games, such as a tricycle race, tug-o-war or sack race. Each of the games can be a mini-March of Dimes moment: the orange-under-the-chin relay is a lesson on folic acid, the tricycle's wheels are marked with the three areas of the mission triangle, one in eight students has to sit out of an activity (to represent the rate of premature bith). The possibilities are endless.

As the games are played, a score is kept, and eventually a team is declared a winner. Their prize: a traveling trophy. This is an excellent way to establish the MOD Squad as an annual event. The students are given the opportunity the following year to defend or capture the trophy for their own school. For those who are on the lookout for an easy and exciting WalkAmerica wraparound event, look no further. Not only is the MOD Squad a fairly simple undertaking, it's a fast-paced, high-energy, entertaining evening that, most important reaches a large number of youth with the mission of the March of Dimes. If you would like more information, please contact Fred Gomez at fgomez@marchofdimes.com.

National Youth Service Day is the largest service event in the world. Millions of youth will participate in the 17th Annual National Youth Service Day on April 15-17, 2005.

The goals of National Youth Service Day are to MOBILIZE youth to identify and address the needs of their communities through service, and to SUPPORT youth on a lifelong path of service and civic engagement.

National Youth Service Day is a program of Youth Service America (YSA) together with the National Youth Leadership Council (NYLC) and PARADE Magazine. Visit www.YSA.org/nysd to access free project planning resources, including Planning Tool Kits, Service-Learning Curriculum Guides, posters, tip sheets, grant opportunities and more.

Help us fight prematurity by purchasing a virtual band to honor a child you know who was born prematurely (or a baby who is special to you).

Click here to purchase your own virtual band.

Kick Butts Day is back, with more opportunities than ever for taking action. On April 13,2005, thousands of youth in every state and around the world will STAND OUT…SPEAK UP… and SEIZE CONTROL in the fight against Big Tobacco. As always, you have the opportunity to get involved and use www.kickbuttsday.org and the KBD activity guide to plan your 2005 activities.

Wristbands4Awareness are now available. Buy these packs of pink and blue "SAVING BABIES" tye-dye wrist bands and give to your family and friends to show their support of the March of Dimes mission. Place your order today!

The Siemens Foundation provides more than $1 million in college scholarships and awards each year for talented high school students in the United States. Its signature programs, the Siemens Westinghouse Competition in Math, Science & Technology and the Siemens Awards for Advanced Placement, reward exceptional achievement in science, math and technology. By supporting outstanding students today, and recognizing the teachers and schools that inspire their excellence, the Foundation helps nurture tomorrow's scientists and engineers. Application information will be available after April 1, 2005.

For more information, go to http://www.siemens-foundation.org/