Last week, Children Uniting Nations kicked off its seventh-annual national conference with an event in Washington, D.C. called “Keeping the Promise to our Children.”
The conference was centered on raising awareness for three pieces of legislation regarding bullying, youth mentoring and physical education programs. House Resolution 1648, the “Safe Schools Improvement Act of 2011” is a proposed amendment to the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 that would create further safeguards for schools to prevent the harassment and bullying of students, while the “Foster Care Mentoring Act of 2011” (S. 420) seeks to expand programs that provide mentoring services to youth through public and private community networks.
The “FIT Kids Act,” alternately known the “Fitness Integrated with Teaching Kids Act,” would also amend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 by requiring local and state educational agencies to provide specific information on physical education programs and school health in yearly report cards.
Numerous legislators attended the event, including House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-Louisiana) and several other members of Congress, including Congresswoman Karen Bass (D-Calif.), Congressman Ed Markey (D-Mass.) and Congresswoman Maxine Waters (D-Calif.).
Also attending the event were several celebrities and media figures, including Brooke Anderson of “The Insider,” Nikki Blonsky from the 2007 film “Hairspray,” “Real Housewives of New Jersey” star Danielle Staub and Freddie Smith from “Days of our Lives.”
Antonio Cue, co-owner of the Major League Soccer club Chivas USA, was the recipient of the organization’s 2012 “Humanitarian Award.” Alongside Children Uniting Nations founder Daphna Ziman, he announced plans for a year-long joint partnership to raise physical education awareness in schools, as well as promote the significance of health and wellness for children.
Children Uniting Nations, a nonprofit organization, was founded in Los Angeles in 1999, with the stated goal of reaching “as many children in out-of-home care by offering role-model support, guidance, a sense of community and promoting the importance of an education.”
