[United States Statutes at Large, Volume 126, 112th Congress, 2nd Session]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

 
PROCLAMATION 8907--NOV. 20, 2012

Proclamation 8907 of November 20, 2012

National Child's Day, 2012

By the President of the United States of America

A Proclamation

All children deserve the chance to follow their passions, chase their
dreams, and pursue their fullest measure of happiness. On National
Child's Day, we celebrate the innumerable ways our sons and daughters
have enriched our lives, and we rededicate ourselves to helping them
achieve excellence in everything they do.
America's success in the 21st century depends on our ability to give our
children the best education possible. By providing the critical
foundation for academic achievement, parents, families, and community
groups play an essential part in fulfilling that mission. To bolster
their efforts, my Administration has partnered with States and
communities across our country to build more pathways to opportunity for
our students. We launched Race to the Top, a national competition to
improve our schools that has helped encourage nearly every State to
raise education standards. We have strengthened early childhood
education to help prevent achievement gaps before they start. We have
invested in math and science education, redoubled efforts to turn around
struggling schools, and expanded financial aid to help make higher
education something every family can afford. And moving forward, we will
keep working to ensure all our children have the skills they need to
achieve their highest ambitions.


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In order to thrive in school and grow up strong, our children need a
healthy start in life that includes nourishing meals and regular
physical activity. Every day, parents and guardians are taking up that
important task by making healthy choices for their kids. Schools are
finding innovative ways to provide nutritious food for their students,
and communities are coming together to help young people lead healthier
lives right from the start. As these groups fulfill their
responsibilities to our children, my Administration is striving to
fulfill ours through efforts like First Lady Michelle Obama's Let's
Move! initiative, which aims to solve the problem of childhood obesity
within a generation, and the Affordable Care Act, which has expanded
preventive services for children and ensured health coverage for
millions of young adults.
High-quality education and health care are essential to giving our
children the future they deserve. As we take this opportunity to honor
our sons and daughters, let us reaffirm that no matter what challenges
lie ahead of us, providing the best for our children will always be our
first priority.
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, 2012, 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 twentieth day of
November, in the year of our Lord two thousand twelve, and of the
Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-
seventh.
BARACK OBAMA