Proclamation by the President: Afterschool Week, 2000 (10/7/00)
                               THE WHITE HOUSE

                           Office of the Press Secretary

___________________
For Immediate Release                                            October 7,
2000


                          AFTERSCHOOL WEEK, 2000

                               - - - - - - -

             BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

                              A PROCLAMATION


     Each weekday afternoon in America, the ringing of school bells signals
not just the end of the school day, but also the beginning of a period when
8 to 15 million of our children are home alone.  These so-called "latchkey"
children can be found in every American community, whether urban, suburban,
or rural; they are the children of working parents who, for a variety of
reasons, are unable to arrange or afford a better alternative.  Not
surprisingly, most juvenile crimes are committed and most children are
likely to become victims of crime during the 5 or 6 hours immediately after
the school day ends.

     Providing appropriate supervision for children after school is one of
the more difficult challenges that working parents face.  Recognizing this,
my Administration has worked hard to provide parents with alternative
afternoon activities for their children.  Through our 21st Century
Community Learning Centers program, under the leadership of Education
Secretary Richard Riley, we are providing schools and community
organizations with funding to create and expand learning opportunities for
children in a drug-free, supervised environment.  This program enables
schools to stay open longer so that students have places to do their
homework, receive counseling about the dangers of substance abuse, and
parti-cipate with mentors in a wide array of academic and recreational
activities that challenge their imagination and broaden their horizons.

     In the 4 years since we created the 21st Century Community Learning
Centers program, hundreds of thousands of children across our country have
enrolled in safe and smart afterschool programs.  My proposed budget for
fiscal 2001 will more than double the Federal commitment to this program,
enabling us to reach as many as 2.5 million students next year.  These
community learning centers provide America?s parents with the comforting
assurance that, while they are out earning a living, their children are
participating in engaging and constructive afterschool activities.

     To highlight the growing need for afterschool programs, the
Afterschool Alliance -- a partnership of public, private, and nonprofit
organizations dedicated to raising awareness and expanding resources for
afterschool programs -- has announced a nationwide project called "Lights
On Afterschool!"  On October 12 of this year, schools, community centers,
museums, libraries, and parks across the country will host activities to
inform families about the places currently open to children after school
and the need to provide additional centers where children can participate
in engaging, stimulating activities until their parents return from work.

     NOW, THEREFORE, I, WILLIAM J. CLINTON, President of the United States
of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and
laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim the week of October 8 to
October 14, 2000, as Afterschool Week.  I encourage parents, students,
educators, community and business leaders, and concerned citizens to
participate in "Lights On Afterschool!" activities on Thursday, October 12.
I also urge all Americans to recognize the impor- tance of providing
afterschool programs in their communities to promote the safety and
well-being of our Nation?s children.

     IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this sixth day of
October, in the year of our Lord two thousand, and of the Independence of
the United States of America the two hundred and twenty-fifth.





                              WILLIAM J. CLINTON





                                 # # #





Message Sent
      To:_____________________________________________________________

          Alexander N. Gertsen/WHO/EOP@EOP
          Carolyn E. Cleveland/WHO/EOP@EOP
          Lauren A. Skryzowski/WHO/EOP@EOP
          Wanda M. Evans/WHO/EOP@EOP
          Michael J. Sullivan/WHO/EOP@EOP
          William T. Glunz/WHO/EOP@EOP
          Christine L. Anderson/WHO/EOP@EOP
          Sean P. Maloney/WHO/EOP@EOP
          Edwin R. Thomas III/WHO/EOP@EOP
          G. Timothy Saunders/WHO/EOP@EOP
          Sherman A. Williams/WHO/EOP@EOP
          Lisel Loy/WHO/EOP@EOP
          David E. Kalbaugh/WHO/EOP@EOP
          Melissa G. Green/OPD/EOP@EOP
          Natalie S. Wozniak/NSC/EOP@EOP
          Sarah Wilson/WHO/EOP@EOP
          Jane T. Schaffner/WHO/EOP@EOP
          Patrick M. Dorton/OPD/EOP@EOP
          Elliot J. Diringer/CEQ/EOP@EOP
          Anna Richter/OPD/EOP@EOP
          Devorah R. Adler/OPD/EOP@EOP
          Christopher C. Jennings/OPD/EOP@EOP
          Jane T. Schaffner/WHO/EOP@EOP
          James E. Kennedy/WHO/EOP@EOP
          Sonya N. Hebert/WHO/EOP@EOP



Message Copied
      To:_____________________________________________________________

          Thomas D. Janenda/WHO/EOP@EOP
          Stephanie A. Cutter/WHO/EOP@EOP
          Loretta M. Ucelli/WHO/EOP@EOP
          Erika A. Batcheller/WHO/EOP@EOP
          Pamela P. Carpenter/WHO/EOP@EOP
          Christine L. Anderson/WHO/EOP@EOP
          Cheri L. Stockham/WHO/EOP@EOP
          Nanda Chitre/WHO/EOP@EOP
          Jason H. Schechter/WHO/EOP@EOP
          Richard L. Siewert/WHO/EOP@EOP
          Megan C. Moloney/WHO/EOP@EOP
          Victoria L. Valentine/WHO/EOP@EOP
          Anne M. Edwards/WHO/EOP@EOP
          Karen C. Burchard/WHO/EOP@EOP
          Mark A. Kitchens/WHO/EOP@EOP
          Jenni R. Engebretsen/WHO/EOP@EOP
          Lisa Ferdinando/WHO/EOP@EOP
          Stephen N. Boyd/WHO/EOP@EOP
          Gilbert S. Gonzalez/WHO/EOP@EOP
          James E. Kennedy/WHO/EOP@EOP
          Joel Johnson/WHO/EOP@EOP
          Margaret M. Suntum/WHO/EOP@EOP
          Ellen E. Olcott/WHO/EOP@EOP
          Mark C. Sheppard/WHO/EOP@EOP
          Pamela P. Carpenter/WHO/EOP@EOP
          Joshua S. Gottheimer/WHO/EOP@EOP
          Patrick E. Briggs/WHO/EOP@EOP
          Denver R. Peacock/WHO/EOP@EOP
          Susan L. Hazard/WHO/EOP@EOP
          Key C. German/WHO/EOP@EOP
          Michael A. Hammer/NSC/EOP@EOP
          Natalie S. Wozniak/NSC/EOP@EOP
          Sharon Farmer/WHO/EOP@EOP
          Ralph Alswang/WHO/EOP@EOP
          Craig A. Minassian/WHO/EOP@EOP


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