Community Involvement

The Department of State's Model United Nations

The Department of State Model United Nations is an independent program that depends on State employee volunteers for its success. This program gives students in selected Washington, D.C. public high schools the opportunity to learn from and interact with State employees. Each week, for over 10 years, 100 volunteers visit the high schools and help the students learn negotiation tactics and conflict resolution among other skills. Students also have the chance to learn about the State Department, the United Nations, employees of these agencies, and what they do.

Miner Elementary School Tutoring Partnership Program

Miner Elementary School is one of the public elementary schools in the District of Columbia whose students have been identified as most in need of reading assistance. For the last six years, the Department of State has spearheaded an effort among federal agencies to volunteer at Miner and other area schools. About 100 Department of State employees have served as tutors and contribute to other enrichment activities. For example, they have assisted in the production of school plays, helped start a school newspaper, and taught civics classes among other things.

Toys for Tots

Department of State employees have collected over 6,500 toys, worth close to $100,000, in the last few years for the Marine Corps' Toys for Tots program. The employees in the Office of Facilities Management and officers from Diplomatic Security provide logistical help for collection sites at more than 20 State Department offices throughout the D.C. Metropolitan area.

Groundhog Job Shadow Day Program

Prior to his appointment, Secretary Powell was the chairman of America’s Promise - The Alliance for Youth, a national nonprofit organization dedicated to mobilizing people from every sector of American life to build the character and competence of young people. America's Promise sponsors a Groundhog Job Shadow Day Program each winter, and the Department of State participates in a special Groundhog's Day celebration. The program allows students to be introduced to the world of work and make connections between the classroom and the real world. Employees volunteer to have a student follow them for a day to learn about the Department of State. Students get to see various facets of life at the Department of State including a guided tour of the Harry S Truman building.

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