[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 64 (Thursday, May 10, 2001)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E786]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                YMCA TEEN ACTION AGENDA ENHANCEMENT ACT

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. MARK UDALL

                              of colorado

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, May 10, 2001

  Mr. UDALL of Colorado. Mr. Speaker, today, my colleagues, Reps. Wamp, 
Portman, Serrano, Etheridge, Isakson and Green (WI) join me, in 
introducing the YMCA Teen Action Agenda Enhancement Act of 2001.
  For 150 years, the YMCA has provided our nation's youth with safe, 
healthy activities. The YMCA is volunteer founded and volunteer-led. 
The YMCA depends on more than 600,000 volunteers to meet the unique 
needs of their communities. YMCAs serve people of all faiths, races, 
abilities, ages and incomes. 1 in 10 teens--2.4 million teens across 
the nation--are involved in a program offered by a local YMCA. 
Recognizing the unique obstacles faced by the teenagers of today, the 
YMCA has launched the Teen Action Agenda, a nationwide campaign to 
double this number and serve 1 in 5 teens by 2005.
  This legislation authorizes federal appropriations of $20 million for 
fiscal years 2002 through 2006 to carry out the Youth Teen Action 
Agenda. Similar legislation was enacted into law in the 105th Congress 
to aid the Boys and Girls Club of America and in the 106th Congress to 
aid Police Athletic Leagues, in their efforts to improve academic and 
social outcomes for youth. Under this legislation, subgrants will be 
made to YMCA teen programs that have a primary purpose of serving youth 
that are at-risk of delinquency or are in failing schools.
  In my district, a number of YMCA clubs are serving our teenagers. In 
the town of Lafayette, CO alone, twenty-five programs at two YMCA 
Centers serve close to 1300 kids. The YMCA Arapahoe Center is a full 
youth and family center for teens and preteens ages 11-17, and the YMCA 
Lafayette Youth Center serves low income, at risk kids. These two clubs 
lead programs for Youth Employment services, after school drop-in, 
drop-in sports, field trips, Leaders club, Arts and Humanities classes 
and camps, high school and middle school sports, baby-sitting training, 
Youth and Government, Leadership development (Leaders-in-Training and 
Junior Leaders summer program), and Teen Adventures camps.
  A recent nationwide study shows that participation in afterschool 
activities leads to better grades and better behavior in teens. Nearly 
eight in 10 teens (79%) that engage in afterschool activities are A or 
B students, but only half (52%) of teens who do not participate in 
afterschool activities earn these high marks. Teens that do not engage 
in afterschool activities are five times more likely (15%) to be D 
students compared to students who do participate in activities after 
school (3%).
  This study has also documented the need for more afterschool 
programs. Over half (52%) of teens say they wish there were more 
afterschool activities in their neighborhood or community. Two in three 
(67%) teens say they would likely participate in afterschool programs 
that would help them get better grades, develop leadership skills and 
be more involved in their community while having fun with other teens 
if they knew that churches, recreation centers and the YMCA offered 
such programs. Six in 10 (62%) teens left unsupervised during the week 
say they would likely participate in afterschool programs.
  The need for more after-school opportunities has been made clear to 
me in my visits to every high school in my district. Students have told 
me that if there were more after school activities, they would 
participate in them. This bill will help give kids safe, productive 
places to go when the school bell rings at the end of the day. We all 
know that the teenagers of today face challenges and pitfalls 
unimaginable a generation ago. I believe this bill helps a proven 
community based organization with a rich history of providing quality 
programs for America's youth to offer our teenagers with the 
opportunity to develop and thrive.

                          ____________________