Child Welfare League of America Co-Hosts Release of Nationally Valid Uhlich Teen Report Card on Adults

6/19/2003

From: Dan Kotowski of Uhlich Children's Home, 773-588-0180 ext. 1-470; Mark Karlin of Mark Karlin & Associates, 312-474-1740; cell numbers 'day of' conference, 312-719-4228 or 312-953-2592

News Advisory:

-- For 5 consecutive years, 40 percent to 50 percent of teens give failing grades to adults on stopping young people from drinking and using drugs

What:

For the fifth year, teenagers will formally present a national report card in which teens grade adults on 20 "subjects." This year's focus will be on the trends uncovered over the past five years of teen surveys. This is a nationwide valid survey (within a 3 percent point margin of error).

Once again, American teens (ages 12-19) will turn the tables on adults. The event will occur a couple days after students received their year-end report cards.

Linda Spears, acting vice-president for communications of the Child Welfare League of America (CWLA), will co-host the formal release of the Uhlich National Teen Report Card on Adults with Tom Vanden Berk, president and executive director of Uhlich Children's Home, a child welfare agency in Chicago, which created and sponsors the survey.

When:

-- 10 a.m. on Tuesday, June 24

Where:

-- National Press Club, 529 14th Street NW, Washington D.C., Peter Lisagor Room

Who:

Teenagers will conduct the news conference. They will be joined by:

-- Linda Spears, acting vice-president for communications of CWLA

-- Tom Vanden Berk, president and executive director of Uhlich

Background Information:

The Uhlich National Teenage Report Card on Adults has received nationwide coverage over the past four years.

The goals of the report card initiative are:

-- To give a wake-up call to adults that the opinions of teenagers need to be heard;

-- To facilitate a dialogue between adults and teenagers;

-- To dispel stereotypes of teenagers;

-- To give a voice to young people in solving the problems that confront them

The report card is repeated each year to measure adult progress, as seen from the eyes of teenagers. Teens will offer recommendations to adults on how to improve their grades.

The survey was conducted on behalf of Uhlich by Teenage Research Unlimited, the premier firm focusing on teen marketing and research. Child Welfare League of America assisted in the analysis of the data.

Visuals:

Teens speaking about the report card grades and recommendations amidst blow-ups of the results.

Interviews:

-- Teens will be available for interviews. Linda Spears, vice-President for communications of Child Welfare League of America, and Tom Vanden Berk, president and executive director of Uhlich and the report card's creator, will be available for comments.

Source:

-- Uhlich Children's Home

Contact:

-- Mark Karlin, Mark Karlin & Associates, 312-474-1740