Monday, Aug. 12

Futures For Kids conference
to highlight after-school programs

[AUG. 12, 2002]  CHICAGO — The state of Illinois recognizes the importance of creating opportunities for youth to participate in structured activities when school is not in session. To this end, Teen REACH was created as a cornerstone of the Futures for Kids program. The successes of Illinois’ efforts will be highlighted when first lady Lura Lynn Ryan hosts the Futures for Kids conference "All Day – Every Day: The Promises of After School Programming" Aug. 7-9 in Chicago.

Futures for Kids is the statewide resource for programs and policies related to the health, safety and education of infants, children and teenagers. State services under the Futures for Kids umbrella include those directly serving infants, children and youth, as well as programs for parents, educators and others who interact with kids.

"The creation of research-based programs to effectively address the prevention of youth delinquent behaviors and increase school success has been a priority of this administration," Mrs. Ryan said. "We are pleased to bring the state’s leaders and experts together to take a closer look at this important topic and help us continue to provide safe alternatives for out-of-school time."

The conference, to be at the Hilton Chicago Hotel, 720 N. Michigan Ave., will feature exciting keynote speakers, including A.C. Green, a former NBA star and founder of the A.C. Green Youth Foundation; LeAlan Jones, internationally acclaimed co-author of "Our America: Life and Death on the Southside of Chicago," and the Honorable Thomas R. Fitzgerald, Supreme Court justice, First District.

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"Our objectives for this conference are to increase knowledge about the effectiveness of out-of-school programming and to strengthen community outreach efforts that promote healthy and safe choices young people can make regarding risk-taking behaviors during out-of-school time," said Department of Human Services Secretary Linda Reneé Baker. "We also hope to combine out-of-school programs with the state’s other prevention activities to give us the best possible result."

Those participating in the conference include Teen REACH providers, local health departments, Division of Community Health and Prevention providers, nurses, health educators, dieticians, licensed social workers, volunteers, and youth.

The conference is sponsored by DHS in partnership with the Youth Network Council, the Chicago Area Project, the Illinois Abstinence Coalition, the Illinois Council of Area Projects, the Ounce of Prevention Fund and Prevention First, Incorporated.

[Illinois Government News Network
press release]

[AUG. 12, 2002]  SPRINGFIELD — On Friday, Gov. George H. Ryan signed into law Senate Bill 1830 which will allow telephone customers to indicate if they want to receive telephone calls from businesses or other organizations trying to sell products or solicit donations.

"I gave serious consideration to amendatorily vetoing Senate Bill 1830 to remove all of the exemptions, but I was concerned about violating the gubernatorial noncompliance threshold on what is and is not acceptable in an amendatory veto," Gov. Ryan said in a signing message.

"I am going to sign Senate Bill 1830 into law, but I do so with some disappointment and with the hope that the General Assembly will build on this small, first step by passing future improvements that reduce, and hopefully eliminate, the many exemptions that will be in the new law," Gov. Ryan said.

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Telephone customers should be free not to put their names on the "do not call" list if they so desire and customers who pay to be on the list should have their wishes respected, the governor said.

The bill was sponsored in the Senate by Sens. Todd Sieben, R-Geneseo; Barak Obama, D-Chicago; Ira Silverstein, D-Chicago; Larry Bomke. R-Springfield; and Adeline Geo-Karis, R-Zion. The House sponsors were Reps. Jay Hoffman, D- Collinsville; Bill Black, D-Danville; Jack Franks, D-Woodstock; Susan Garrett, D-Lake Forest; and Gary Forby, D-Benton.

[Illinois Government News Network
press release]

[AUG. 12, 2002]  Erika Harold, Miss Illinois 2002, is launching a statewide speaking tour focusing on her platform against youth violence. As an advocate against gang pressures, drugs, crime and gun violence, Erika is calling to action all students as a collective voice in proclaiming "youth violence stops with us." A national spokesperson for Fight Crime: Invest in Kids, The Teen Victims Project of the National Center for Victims of Crime and The Student Pledge Against Gun Violence, she addresses issues of positive social change and calls for a halt to the climb of youth violence statistics.

[Photo by Lisa Marie Grethey]
[Erika Harold spoke at a Vacation Bible School last week in Mackinaw. With her is Amanda Davis,
Miss Mack-Ca-Fest.]

A Phi Beta Kappa graduate of the University of Illinois, Erika has been admitted to Harvard Law School, where she will pursue public interest law and public policy after her year of service as Miss Illinois.

A classically trained vocalist who has sung in Japan, she won a preliminary talent award at Miss Illinois for her presentations of Habanera from "Carmen."

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As Miss Illinois, Erika receives $15,000 in scholarships. A total of $40,300 was awarded among all 35 participants of this year’s program. In addition, colleges and universities throughout the state offer over $2.7 million in-kind scholarships or tuition waivers to contestants.

Held annually in Oakbrook Terrace, the Miss Illinois program strives to provide educational opportunities to young women of the state through scholarship, service and volunteerism. It strives to recognize the intelligence, talent, moral character and personal commitment of its exceptional participants as they pursue excellence, resulting in positive life experience, spirit and goodwill.

For more information, please go to www.missil.org.

[News release]

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