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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