U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan will participate in the Boys & Girls Club of America and the Close Up Foundation’s leadership mentoring program for youth of military families on Wednesday, June 27, at 8 a.m. in Washington, D.C. He will discuss how civic values and community involvement are critical to the vitality of America’s democracy and economy in the 21st century. Duncan also will applaud the children of military families who are becoming active and engaged citizens through their participation in a unique summer mentoring program sponsored by the Boys and Girls Clubs of America and the Close Up Foundation. A question-and-answer session will follow.
The three-day inaugural effort, which is currently underway and runs through June 27, will include discussions of policy issues that impact military families, workshops, meetings with members of Congress, legislative simulations and more. The program also will allow youth to share and honor the service and sacrifice their families make on behalf of the nation.
For more than 100 years, the Boys & Girls Clubs of America has enabled young people most in need to become productive, caring and responsible citizens. Clubs provide a safe place, caring adult mentors, fun and friendship, and high-impact youth development programs during critical non-school hours. The Close Up Foundation is a nonprofit, nonpartisan citizenship education organization whose mission is to inform, inspire, and engage young people for a lifetime of civic participation through Washington-based programs and classroom publications.