New York - Today, Chancellor Rudolph F. Crew and U.S. Rep. Carolyn Maloney joined students from MS 167, Senator Wagner Middle School, to listen and learn about the "Census in the Schools" program, a program designed to help children understand the Census, and raise awareness within children's families about the importance of filling out Census forms.

"I am encouraging all of New York City's teachers, administrators, and students to learn about the "Census in the Schools" program because it is so important that our city's children are not left out of the 2000 Census," Chancellor Crew said this morning. "Today, I met young people who know that the Census is about more than numbers. They know that if they can help their families be counted in the 2000 Census, then their families will be remembered when the federal government chooses to support their schools and communities. I am convinced that young people will be fantastic messengers for the 2000 Census, and I hope that many of New York City's schools will consider utilizing the "Census in the Schools" program."

"Of the many programs developed by the Census Bureau to help promote the 2000 Census, the "Census in the Schools" program is perhaps the most creative," said Maloney. "Over one half of Americans who are missed in the Census are children - and in New York City, the challenge to ensure our children do not slip into the population of the undercounted is especially great. The "Census in the Schools" program provides a curriculum to teach kids about the Census and the importance of being counted. We rely on Census-smart kids to go into their homes and talk to their parents about filling out Census forms. When children are counted in the Census, then they are not skipped over when it comes to federal funds for their health care, their after school programs, their physical safety, and their schools."

According to the Census Bureau, the "Census in Schools" Project provides teachers with "interactive, engaging, and colorful lesson plans that meet national and state curriculum standards: to help students understand the importance and benefits of the census; to promote awareness and encourage greater participation in the national census at the local level: and to improve the accuracy of the census."

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