Last month, we featured several articles on the numerous activities that supported young children and their development. To follow-up, we wanted to highlight where to find resources related to these events.

First, on April 17, the White House hosted a conference on Early Childhood Development and Learning. This conference featured several child development experts who spoke on brain development, prenatal care, language development in young children, and child care. President Clinton and Hillary Rodham Clinton made opening remarks as well as comments throughout the morning session. They also announced that the White House would host a conference devoted to child care in the fall. Tapes of the Early Childhood Development and Learning conference can be ordered for $22.50 from Christiana Boyle, Box 7605, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695-7605; telephone: 919-515-9133.

More information on this conference can be found at: http://www.whitehouse.gov/WH/New/ECDC/ [NPIN editor's note (5-23-01): this url is no longer active]

Second, the Presidents' Summit for America's Future was held April 27-29 in Philadelphia. This is a multi-year national effort aimed at providing the 15 million at-risk young children in America the resources they need to succeed. The intent of the summit is to develop concrete action plans to assist America's youth so that they have access to five fundamental resources:

1. an ongoing relationship with a caring adult (for example, a mentor, tutor, or coach);
2. safe places and structured activities during nonschool hours to learn and grow;
3. a healthy start;
4. a marketable skill through effective education; and
5. an opportunity to give back through community service.

To learn more about this summit, visit the following Web site:
http://www.citizenservice.org/ [Editor's note: this url is no longer active 5-8-2000]

Finally, last year on June 1, more than a quarter of a million supporters turned out for Stand for Children at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, DC. This year's event is the Virtual Stand for Children (a two-week Internet-based campaign from May 25-June 6, 1997), which has the following components:

1. the Virtual Stand for Children Web site,
2. a World Wide Web banner campaign, and
3. an email pledge campaign.

The Virtual Stand for Children will focus on children's health and will also include chat sessions, virtual pledge forms, and information about local Children's Action Team (CAT) programs.

The Virtual Stand for Children is inviting companies, organizations, and individuals to demonstrate their commitment to children by featuring a Stand for Children banner or logo, linked to the Stand for Children home page, on their Web sites during the two-week online event. In mid-May, Stand for Children will launch a campaign asking people to send email messages pledging to take a Stand for Children. For every email received, sponsors will contribute to a scholarship fund for young people who have beaten the odds in order to become leaders and academic standouts (up to $25,000 total).

In addition to the Virtual Stand for Children, organizers at Stand for Children are encouraging organizations and individuals to transfer their energy and commitment to their own neighborhoods by forming CATs.

To learn more about Stand for Children, the Virtual Stand for Children, or CATs, visit the following Web site:
http://www.stand.org/