Mrs. Alma Powell, Chair, America’s Promise Alliance — America’s Promise Alliance Dropout Prevention Campaign Launch Event in Washington, D.C.
April 1, 2008
On behalf of the America’s Promise Alliance, I want to welcome all of you here. Thank you for being here today.
I see many friends and partners around the room. We’re especially glad you could join us.
We are here today because it will take all of us to mobilize this nation on an issue that is of the utmost importance to our future.
We are here because it will take partners from every sector facing this challenge together.
We could not be here today without our partners who are sponsoring our efforts.
I especially want to thank our presenting sponsor, State Farm Insurance.
I would also like to thank the Boeing Company, Casey Family Programs, the Ford Motor Company Fund, the ING Foundation, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and The J. Willard and Alice S. Marriott Foundation.
Thanks to the generous commitment of these sponsors, America’s Promise today is launching a two-year campaign to mobilize the nation to turn the tide against the dropout crisis.
With our partners, we will help sponsor 100 dropout summits, covering all 50 states plus 50 key cities.
We already have commitments from 24 states and 22 cities.
These summits will not be just another meeting to talk about the problem. They are about action.
Part of each summit involves building specific action plans that include all sectors — including parents and young people.
You’re about to hear the voice of one of these young people. She knows first-hand what it’s like out there when you drop out of school — and what it takes to help our children succeed. I’m so glad she could be with us today. Please welcome Kareema Conda-Barr.