CFK Weekly—August 21, 2000

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NEW ON CONNECT FOR KIDS
**After-School Gets More Than an After Thought
**Families Voting: Bringing Democracy Home
**When School's Out, What Do Kids Do?
**The Big Picture for Abused and Neglected Children

CONNECT TODAY
**Help Kids Say No to Drugs

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THE WEEKLY TAKES A VACATION

**We'll Be Back in Full Next Week
The Connect for Kids Weekly is taking a summer break, but we'll be back in full on August 28 with a special election edition highlighting our Moms Vote campaign.

NEW ON CONNECT FOR KIDS

**After-School Gets More Than an After Thought
by Nick Geisinger
For a lot of middle and high school students, the hours between 3 and 8 p.m. stretch out each school day, to be filled as inclination -- and temptation -- permit. In Detroit, the non-profit Youth Connection is asking the whole city to get involved in finding safe and productive ways for kids to fill those long hours.
http://www.connectforkids.org

**Families Voting: Bringing Democracy Home
by Michelle Strasz and Wendy Shepherd
Volunteerism and community involvement are at an all time high in our country -- so why is it that voter turnout is lacking? Two child advocates argue that children learn how to be good citizens when families set good examples.
http://www.connectforkids.org

**When School's Out, What Do Kids Do?
Learn what kids are doing when they're not in school and how we can give them opportunities to learn social skills, develop new interests and build strong bonds with adults in Connect for Kids Out-of-School Time feature.
http://www.connectforkids.org

**The Big Picture for Abused and Neglected Children
Although the majority of children exiting foster care today are leaving to permanent homes, there is more that state child welfare agencies can do to speed up the process and ensure that families have the supports they need to care for children. ?Child Welfare Outcomes 1998? compiles national data on children who are abused and neglected, in foster care, adopted or waiting to be adopted. Learn how states can be accountable for these vulnerable children.
http://www.connectforkids.org

CONNECT TODAY

**Help Kids Say No to Drugs
How can adults help kids stay away from drugs and alcohol, particularly when school is out? Share your thoughts with members of the Connect for Kids community.
http://www.connectforkids.org/thread_msg1586/thread_msg_list.htm?thread_id=3030

Have a safe and happy end-of-summer!

The Connect for Kids Team