[United States Statutes at Large, Volume 125, 112th Congress, 1st Session]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

 
Proclamation 8758 of November 18, 2011

National Child's Day, 2011
By the President of the United States of America
A Proclamation
As a Nation, we carry a fundamental responsibility to unlock the
potential within every child. To prepare our children for the 21st
century, we must continue to make investments in their health,
development, and learning that will be lasting cornerstones of their
success. Today, we celebrate our sons and daughters, and we recommit to
giving them the future they deserve.

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My Administration is committed to providing our children with the care
and support that will give them a strong, healthy start. To help ensure
all children have access to nutritious meals and encourage healthy
choices early in life, I signed the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act last
year. We also launched MyPlate, a new food icon that can guide children
and adults alike on healthy portions as they choose their next meal.
These efforts go hand-in-hand with First Lady Michelle Obama's Let's
Move! initiative, which is dedicated to solving the problem of childhood
obesity within a generation. This year, over 1,250 schools took action
to meet rigorous nutrition standards and expand opportunities for
physical activity as part of our HealthierUS School Challenge, and 1.7
million Americans achieved the Presidential Active Lifestyle Award. By
empowering children and their caregivers with the tools they need to eat
well and lead active lifestyles, we take steps to instill healthy habits
that will last into adulthood.
To build a more prosperous future for our children, we must equip them
with a world-class education. My Administration is advancing educational
opportunities for students of all ages, from early learning programs
that start our children down the right path, to Pell Grants that open
higher education to more Americans. In communities across our Nation,
parents, teachers, principals, and school boards are coming together to
develop stronger educational standards that will reward progress and
accelerate student achievements. As we work to ensure every classroom is
a safe, supportive place where students can cultivate a love of
learning, we advance our goal of putting an outstanding education within
reach for every child.
On National Child's Day, we remember that the promise of a brighter
tomorrow is fulfilled by what we do for our children today. As
Americans, all of us share in the responsibility to do our utmost to
give our children the love, safety, and protection that will nourish
their development as healthy and productive individuals. Let us kindle
in them the hunger for knowledge, the courage to follow their dreams,
and the spirit to pursue possibility wherever it may lead.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of
America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and
the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim November 20, 2011, as
National Child's Day. I call upon all citizens to observe this day with
appropriate activities, programs, and ceremonies, and to rededicate
ourselves to creating the bright future we want for our Nation's
children.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this eighteenth day of
November, in the year of our Lord two thousand eleven, and of the
Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-
sixth.
BARACK OBAMA