From City Hall News Release
August 7, 2006

They came in from Maine to Maryland and as far away as Texas and Minnesota to explore the challenges young people face today at a conference sponsored by America’s Promise – The Alliance for Youth – and hosted by Mayor David N. Cicilline and the city of Providence.

“It is a great honor to be among the 100 Best Communities for Young People and to serve as hosts of this great conference,” said Cicilline. “This is an opportunity to witness the best practices and programs from across the region, and to showcase the work we are doing with our award-winning after school initiative – PASA (Providence After School Alliance.) It is also a wonderful moment to highlight the great assets of our capital city.”

Marguerite Kondracke, CEO and President of America’s Promise – The Alliance for Youth – led the programs with a strong charge to everyone present to help young people succeed.

“Every child deserves a chance to succeed, even when the odds seem insurmountable. Because of your work, we are changing the odds for our young people. The collaborative efforts taking place in your communities are setting an example for the entire nation,” said Kondracke.

The two-day event held July 27 and 28 covered the Five Promises of America’s Promise: Caring Adults, Healthy Start, Effective Education, Safe Places and Opportunities to Help Others. It included workshops, speakers and panel discussions on such issues as: changing the odds; how communities can make sure all kids are ready by 21; youth engagement and leadership; municipal action and leadership; improving outcomes; fundamental resources; and increasing U.S. graduation rates.

Local and national educators, civic leaders, philanthropists, researchers, health care professionals, corporate executives, and non-profit leaders are among those who gathered in Providence, and included local experts: Dr. Warren Simmons of the Annenberg Institute, Providence Superintendent Dr. Donnie Evans, Terri Adelman of Volunteers in Providence Schools, and others such as John Bridgeland, author of “The Silent Epidemic,” Tom Akiva, High Scope Educational Research Foundation, Jen Rinehart of the AfterSchool Alliance, Robert Lewis of the Boston Centers for Youth and Family, Nancy Devine of the Wallace Foundation, and Tom Killmurray of Boston’s U.S. Department of Health and Human Services office.

Kicking off the event was a discussion with Cicilline, eight members of Youth In Action – a local youth service agency run by young people, and its leader, Adeola Oredola. The presentation was intended to “frame the discussion,” the mayor said, so experts would keep their suggestions in mind, as they went forward during the conference.

This America’s Promise regional forum is the second of five sponsored by the organization nationwide, and others are planned for Denver, Charlotte and Indianapolis. One was held last month in Long Beach (CA).

The forum is sponsored by the America’s Promise Alliance and funded by State Farm, the Ford Motor Company Fund, and New Century Financial Corporations. It is open to providers of youth services, business leaders, educators, youth development staff, policymakers, young people, and civic and faith leaders.

America’s Promise – the Alliance for Youth – is based in Washington (DC) and was founded after the Presidents’ Summit for America’s Future in 1997 by Presidents H.W. Bush, Carter, Clinton, Ford, and Nancy Reagan representing her husband. The purpose was to challenge the nation to make children and youth a national priority. Then-General Colin L. Powell (Ret.) became founding chairman of America’s Promise serving in that capacity until 2001.

For more information, please visit the web site at www.americaspromise.org.