What is this year of service stuff

My girls have very kindly and brilliantly chosen to do a year of service. Alot of people ask what this is and why on earth they would do this. Its a pretty regular thing for Baha'i Youth between the ages of 17-25. Heres what the www.bahai.us web site has to say on the topic.

Baha'i Youth Service Corps

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Our youth have tremendous potential and capacity when provided opportunities for spiritual growth and service to humanity. Baha'is believe "A very great responsibility for the future peace and well-being of the world is borne by the youth of today." Through guidance and sacrifice, service and fellowship, cooperation and good-will, we can develop strong spiritual bonds with each other and reverence toward God.

The National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of the U.S. provides service opportunities for volunteer youths ages 18-25 through its Youth Service Corp (YSC) at several locations around the country facilitated through its Office of Education and Schools. Locations are at Bosch Baha'i School, Santa Cruz, CA, Green Acre Baha'i School, Eliot, ME, Louhelen Baha'i School, Davison, MI, and the The Native American Baha'i Institute (NABI), Houck, AZ. Youth accepted into the YSC have opportunities to develop spiritual, emotional, and intellectual capacities, and to become engaged in community-building through serving surrounding area communities.

"Everyone has a different experience but that experience will be exactly what you need. It’s a time of growth that’s very helpful."

Dory Quinlan, 2007 Bosch Service Youth