[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 84 (Tuesday, June 17, 1997)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1234-E1235]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




THE LOS ANGELES COUNTY 4-H AFTER SCHOOL ACTIVITY PROGRAM WINS SECRETARY 
                      OF AGRICULTURE'S HONOR AWARD

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. STEPHEN HORN

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, June 17, 1997

  Mr. HORN. Mr. Speaker, today I congratulate the Los Angeles County 4-
H After School Activity Program for exemplary work in helping at-risk 
youth overcome many barriers and realize their dreams. Agriculture 
Secretary Dan Glickman presented the program with one of the 1997 
Department of Agriculture Secretary's Honor Awards.
  Some of the best legislation the House has passed so far in this term 
is designed to improve opportunities for America's at-risk youth. The 
historic juvenile justice reform bill we approved last month will help 
deter children from going down the path of crime. By removing work 
disincentives and fostering a more diverse mix of families in public 
housing, the landmark public housing bill the House also passed last 
month will give children who live in public housing more adult role 
models who work.
  The Los Angeles County 4-H After School Activity Program is a step 
ahead of the federal government in improving the lives of 
underprivileged children in the nation's second-largest metropolitan 
area. Administered by the University of California, the program 
provides a positive, nurturing environment for children ages 7 to 13 
who live in public housing. These children are young enough for 
positive adult role models to have an impact on their lives. But 
without this program, they could well fall victim to the pressure to 
join a gang, drop out of school when they get older, or get caught in 
the terrible trap of drug addiction.
  The program was organized in the wake of the 1992 riots. It was so 
successful that it quickly grew to serve more than 1,500 children in 
Los Angeles County. Children attend the program 2 to 5 days a week from 
2 p.m. to 6 p.m., and they participate in homework assistance and 
tutoring sessions, learn-by-doing projects, physical recreation, and 
community service projects. The children's projects focus on subjects 
ranging from gardening and plant science to computers, from photography 
and video to leadership development. The 4-H program also expects older 
children to participate as peer role models who can assist with special 
projects.
  In a refreshing example of a wide range of organizations working 
together to improve

[[Page E1235]]

their community, the program is run as a collaborative effort involving 
educational, governmental, business, and other organizations. The 
University of California Cooperative Extension provides overall 
administrative support and staff, with other support coming from the 
Unocal Corp., the Los Angeles Unified School District, the City of Los 
Angeles Housing Authority, the Corporation for National Service, the 
National 4-H Council, and the California 4-H Foundation.
  The After School Activity Program has had a major impact on the lives 
of the participating children. Seventy percent of participants' 
teachers noted some or much improvement in the children's interest in 
schoolwork and their ability to solve problems. More than 60 percent of 
the teachers also reported some or much improvement in participants' 
ability to adapt to new situations and in their cooperation levels with 
peers. The children participating have seen a positive impact on their 
lives: 96 percent say they feel safe at 4-H, and 85 percent say 4-H 
helps them stay out of gangs.
  Too many urban children have no positive role models, so they turn to 
gangs for acceptance. Too many children in our cities have 
underdeveloped academic skills, so they face an even steeper hill to 
climb when they grow up and have to find a job. Too many inner-city 
children see little hope in their lives, so they seek false solace in 
drugs and alcohol. The Los Angeles County 4-H After School Activity 
Program is saving L.A. children from lives of despair. This innovative 
program is a collaborative effort that is making a real difference in 
children's lives. My congratulations and deepest appreciation go to 
George Rendell, who is the director of the University of California's 
Los Angeles County Cooperative Extension, Resource Development 
Coordinator Ray Grabinski, and all the dedicated staff members, 
volunteers and other community-minded individuals who have made this 
program an outstanding success.

                          ____________________