Governor signs Generals' Bill into law

Written By Washington State Leadership Board

We are excited to announce that today Governor Inslee signed SB 5746!  The bill updates statute to better reflect the good work of The Generals, and establishes key partnerships for the benefit of Washington’s youth.

This session, The Generals, The Office of Lieutenant Governor, and the bill’s prime sponsor, Senator Patty Kuderer worked hard to pass SB 5746, which also creates new partnerships with the Seattle Seahawks and Seattle Mariners.

This legislation will have a huge impact on the work The Generals are doing.  The newly announced Washington World Fellows Program, an equity-focused high school study abroad and college readiness fellowship hosted by The Generals, will receive dedicated funding from a portion of the Seattle Seahawks and the Seattle Mariners specialty license plates revenue.  The Washington World Fellows Program, is set to announce the inaugural class of fellows later this month. These exceptional 15 students, chosen from over 270 applicants, will travel to Leon, Spain this summer, taking courses in Spanish language, history, and politics, and earning college credit while in an immersive home stay environment. This new funding is essential to ensuring the program will continue to provide opportunities from youth for years to come.

SB 5746 also establishes dedicated funding for a new sports mentoring program with the remaining portion of revenue from the Seattle Mariners specialty license plate.  This program will be a collaboration between the Office of the Lieutenant Governor and The Generals and is aimed at providing additional support to nonprofit community-based organizations who are working to provide opportunities to underserved youth by providing mentorship and giving youth the opportunity to participate in sports or attend sporting events.

The Generals are thrilled to be partnering with the Seattle Seahawks and the Seattle Mariners in working to engage and empower youth in our community. We are honored to have their support of dedicating the proceeds from license plate revenues to support the Washington World Fellows Program and sports mentoring program, and are excited to collaborate with the Seahawks and Mariners to continue to serve Washington’s youth.

Washington State Leadership Board

The Washington State Leadership Board, a trustee agency of Washington State, specializes in delivering equity-focused leadership programs for the State of Washington. It is best known for bestowing official honors on behalf of the state, such as the Washingtonian of the Year, as well as the following free youth leadership programs. These include:

Washington World Fellows, a study abroad + college prep program for high school students

Boundless Washington, an outdoor leadership program for young people with disabilities

Compassion Scholars, an experiential travel program aimed at promoting compassionate leadership

The Washington State Leadership board was originally founded in 1971 by then-Lt. Governor John Cherberg as the “Association of Washington Generals” with the goal of recognizing service. Today, the Leadership Board continues its long legacy of recognizing service while also working to cultivate leadership among Washingtonians through its annual awards events and its statewide leadership programs.

In 2005, the State Legislature codified the organization in state law, charging it with a number of important roles: the members of the Leadership Board act as “official ambassadors of trade, tourism, and goodwill for the state”, and must work to “expand educational, sports, and employment opportunities for youth, veterans, and people with disabilities.” The Legislature also linked the Leadership Board with the Office of the Lt. Governor, creating a close partnership between the organization and state government. Later, the State Legislature established several programs the Washington State Leadership Board administers into state law, including the Washington World Fellows and Boundless Washington programs as well as the Compassion Scholars.

https://www.washingtonleaders.org
Previous

15 Students Selected for the Washington World Fellows Program
Next

RELEASE: Washington World Fellows Program meets widespread interest from students; Gathers support from Seattle Seahawks and others