Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone and Superintendent of Schools Tony Pierantozzi announced that the City of Somerville will host a celebration on Saturday, Jan. 29 from 1 to 3 p.m. to honor the City’s commitment to its youth, as well as to celebrate the City’s designation as one of the nation’s “100 Best Communities for Young People” by the America’s Promise Alliance. 

In 2010, Somerville was selected by the Alliance for the third year in a row. The event will include exhibitions by some of the City’s top youth-serving agencies and organizations, as well as raffle prizes, refreshments and games and activities for youth of all ages. It will be held from 1 to 3 p.m. in the Somerville High School gymnasium, 81 Highland Avenue.

“The 100 Best… Award reinforces our commitment to collaboration with local businesses and organizations to create a community that fosters learning, achievement, and opportunities for our young people to succeed,” said Mayor Curtatone.  “The Alliance outlines five promises that communities should make to youth, and through the event on the 29th we intend to highlight what our City, with our partner organizations, has done to uphold those promises, and the additional promises we will make to our young people for the future.”

“We put an emphasis on helping every young adult, adolescent and child in this city develop their potential and reach their highest aspirations, and we will continue to do so through the five promises set forth by the America’s Promise Alliance as we plan for future generations of school children,” said Pierantozzi.

 The celebration will include indoor games and activities, including kickball, soccer, hula hoping and dancing, a community fair including more than 50 local youth-serving agencies and organizations, and performances by local youth including:

• Somerville Teen Empowerment
• Mary Flynn Murphy School of Dance
• Somerville High School cast of the upcoming musical, Willy Wonka
• Bloco
• Tyson Clark
• The 2010 Somerville Sunsetters

Refreshments will be served. Youth attendees will also be invited to share their vision for the future of the City of Somerville by helping event organizers recognize the five promises set forth by the Alliance:

• Caring adults  such as parents, teachers, mentors, coaches and neighbors
• Safe places  that offer constructive activities when young people are not in school
• A healthy start  and healthy development
• An effective education  that prepares young people for college and work
• Opportunities to help others through service.

“Input from the young members of our community is vitally important in helping us better serve our school children, and to ensure that we are fulfilling our promises to help them achieve and succeed,” Mayor Curtatone said.

For more information on the 100 Best… event or award, please visit the Somerville Public Schools website at www.somerville.k12.ma.us, or the City of Somerville website at www.somervillema.gov.