[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 16 (Thursday, January 24, 2002)]
[Presidential Documents]
[Pages 3577-3578]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-1970]


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  Federal Register / Vol. 67, No. 16 / Thursday, January 24, 2002 / 
Presidential Documents  

[[Page 3577]]


                Proclamation 7519 of January 18, 2002

                
National Mentoring Month, 2002

                By the President of the United States of America

                A Proclamation

                National Mentoring Month allows us to recognize the 
                important contributions made by the millions of our 
                fellow citizens who choose to strengthen our Nation by 
                giving their time, effort, and heart to serve as a 
                mentor and role model for a young person. Through 
                quality education programs, community initiatives, and 
                personal involvement, mentors help our children become 
                better citizens by showing them how to make the right 
                choices, to work hard, and to care for their neighbors 
                in need. Mentors play an important role in a child's 
                life, particularly if a parent is absent. A mentor's 
                involvement in the life of a child can brighten that 
                child's future, help maintain healthy families, and 
                help promote more vibrant communities.

                Community mentoring programs have given millions of 
                young people, particularly those at high-risk for poor 
                school performance and behavior problems, a boost in 
                life. Statistics indicate that most children who have 
                been mentored improve their school attendance and 
                performance, go to college, and are less likely to use 
                drugs or alcohol. By being a positive role model, a 
                mentor can demonstrate the blessings of living a 
                virtuous life by sharing their values and experiences 
                and motivating a child to learn and achieve. We must 
                teach our children the difference between right and 
                wrong; and we must seize every opportunity to help a 
                young person find the right path. We must also teach 
                discipline and accountability.

                Many adults recall lessons they learned from childhood 
                as a result of observing and interacting with role 
                models. They recognize their childhood homes and 
                schools as places where love, encouragement, and 
                instruction provided them with the tools they needed to 
                become contributing citizens. Today, the role of 
                families, schools, and communities remains crucial to 
                providing stability and direction to America's young 
                people.

                My Administration strongly supports Federal, State, and 
                local programs that help families stay together, keep 
                both parents involved in their child's life, and 
                utilize our education system to stand by parents and 
                reinforce the values that are taught in the home. I am 
                particularly pleased that the Congress passed and I 
                have signed into law legislation I proposed to 
                strengthen and expand successful mentoring initiatives 
                aimed at serving a vulnerable population: children 
                whose parents are incarcerated. This new initiative--
                ``Promoting Safe and Stable Families Amendments of 
                2001''--represents the first comprehensive Federal 
                effort to improve the lives of these children. This 
                important legislation will help surround vulnerable 
                youth with positive, one-on-one role models, and help 
                them not just dream big dreams, but achieve them.

                On the occasion of National Mentoring Month, we pay 
                tribute to the parents, teachers, community leaders, 
                and citizens who serve as mentors and role models for 
                our children. We encourage others to become involved in 
                mentoring.

                NOW, THEREFORE, I, GEORGE W. BUSH, 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 January 2002 as National

[[Page 3578]]

                Mentoring Month. I call upon the people of the United 
                States to recognize the importance of being role models 
                for our youth, to look for mentoring opportunities in 
                their communities, and to celebrate this month with 
                appropriate ceremonies, activities, and programs.

                IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this 
                eighteenth day of January, in the year of our Lord two 
                thousand two, and of the Independence of the United 
                States of America the two hundred and twenty-sixth.

                    (Presidential Sig.)B

[FR Doc. 02-1970
Filed 1-23-02; 8:45 am]
Billing code 3195-01-P