By Jerry Silva

Americans have always faced and met great challenges.  This can be attributed to our rich legacy of thoughtful, spirited and remarkable leaders and a powerful sense of civic involvement.  Though sparsely settled, the American colonies bred brilliant statesmen – George Washington, John Adams and Thomas Jefferson – to name just a few.  Our post-colonial history continued to see the emergence of great American leaders – Abraham Lincoln, Teddy Roosevelt, Susan B. Anthony, and Dr. Martin Luther King among others.

Today, our nation faces unprecedented challenges. Adding a further level of complexity is the fact that issues cannot be confined within our borders.  The world now is truly global.  And while the world has seemingly grown smaller, our challenges have become greater.

In 1964, President Lyndon Johnson was dismayed by the widening gulf between youth and government and was quite concerned about what he perceived to be an indifference of young Americans toward their government.  LBJ wanted to give the nation’s youth living in the tumultuous 1960’s the same bond with government that his generation felt in the 1930’s.

Later that year, President Johnson launched a great experiment. He announced a non-partisan program that would draw young Americans of exceptionally high promise to Washington for one year of personal involvement in the process of government.  These individuals would work alongside senior White House staff, the vice president, cabinet secretaries and other top-ranking government officials. President Johnson’s mission for this program was to give first-hand, high-level experience with the workings of the federal government and to increase the sense of participation in national affairs. In return for the year, President Johnson expected these young Americans to “repay that privilege” when they left by “continuing to work as private citizens on their public agendas.” He hoped that these remarkable individuals would contribute to the nation as future leaders.

This program lives today.  Known as the President’s Commission on White House Fellowships, the program boasts nearly 700 outstanding alumni who have gone on to become leaders in all fields of endeavor.  These Americans have fulfilled the Fellowship’s mission to encourage active citizenship and service to the nation.  The White House Fellows Program has fostered leaders such as Secretary of State Colin Powell, Secretary of Labor Elaine Chao, United Nations Foundation President and Former Senator Timothy Wirth, American Red Cross President Marsha J. Evans, and General Wesley Clark.

President Johnson recognized a time in our history when the need was greater than ever to foster leadership and service among our youth.  This period is before us again.

Get involved in your community, don’t be a bystander during these presidential elections, and learn more about your United States of America and values of this program. For more information about this program, you can visit their website at http://www.whitehouse.gov/participate/fellows

Jerry Silva grew up in the San Gabriel Valley and worked much of the Inland Empire as Regional Public Affairs Manager for SCE. Jerry serves as a board member for the Hispanic 100, International Visitors Council of Los Angeles, and Gubernatorial appointment to the state board of Professional Engineers and Land Surveyor commission. Has been involved with community and public affairs for the San Gabriel Valley and Inland Empire for over 20 years. He has been involved with the White House Fellows program since 2002, serving in the capacity as Los Angeles Regional Judge for the White House Fellows and has served as Regional Judge Chair from 2003-2008. Jerry recently attended the 50^th year reception of the White House Fellows program on October 22^nd at the White House. Jerry can be reached at jerrysilva@earthlink.net or (626) 536-3435.