[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 3, Volume 1]
[Revised as of January 1, 2003]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 3CFR7534]

Proc. 7534

[[Page 61]]

Proclamation 7534 of March 21, 2002

Education and Sharing Day, U.S.A., 2002

By the President of the United States of America

A Proclamation

          America's future depends in part on ensuring that every child 
          in America receives a quality education. And by teaching our 
          children the importance of serving those in need, we will help 
          fulfill an important part of their education, showing them the 
          rewards that come from compassionate outreach.
          Education has always played a vital role in the success of our 
          Nation. It has provided hope through the principle that any 
          citizen can realize the American dream, regardless of 
          background, ethnicity, or faith. By challenging young people 
          to set high goals and to work hard to achieve them, we prepare 
          our youth to carry on the success of the American story and to 
          become leaders of this great Nation. A core foundation of 
          knowledge and values is essential for students to excel and 
          contribute to the well-being of our communities, our country, 
          and the world.
          Parents are a child's first and most important teachers, and 
          they provide the cornerstone of a child's early education. 
          Quality teachers, however, also play an important role in a 
          child's personal and intellectual development. The No Child 
          Left Behind Act of 2001, which I signed into law in January 
          2002, requires that, by the end of the 2005-06 school year, 
          there must be a ``highly qualified'' teacher in every 
          classroom. Through this new law, States and school districts 
          will have multiple tools to help them meet the new teacher 
          quality requirements. Key elements of this effort include 
          providing State grants to recruit and train teachers, and 
          recruiting high-quality individuals to become teachers, 
          offering expanded student loan forgiveness for teachers. And 
          we must encourage Americans to volunteer their time to serve 
          as mentors to our young people.
          Great teachers are also found outside the classroom, making a 
          positive impact on children and on local families. For 
          example, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, the Lubavitcher 
          Rebbe, demonstrated the power of teaching others to pursue 
          both intellectual and moral excellence. For this purpose, he 
          established education and outreach centers that offered social 
          services and humanitarian aid. Today, more than 1,400 of these 
          centers operate in 35 countries, meeting the spiritual and 
          material needs of local communities. These beacons of hope 
          communicate the Rebbe's ideal of living a meaningful life 
          through personal responsibility and dedication to those in 
          need. On the 100th anniversary of the Rebbe's birth, I 
          encourage Americans to help teach our young people. In 
          classrooms, homes, and places of worship, we can all make a 
          lasting impact on individual children and thus invest in our 
          country as a whole.
          NOW, THEREFORE, I, GEORGE W. BUSH, President of the United 
          States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by 
          the Constitution and laws of the United States, do hereby 
          proclaim March 24, 2002, as Education and Sharing Day, U.S.A., 
          2002. I call on all Americans to help our young people better 
          understand the importance of character and develop a true love 
          of learning. By doing so, we invest in the future of our 
          country.

[[Page 62]]

          IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this twenty-
          first day of March, in the year of our Lord two thousand two, 
          and of the Independence of the United States of America the 
          two hundred and twenty-sixth.

GEORGE W. BUSH