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Home My WebLink About2008-05-13 - AGENDA REPORTS - CHILDRENS BILL OF RIGHTS (2)CONSENT CALENDAR DATE: SUBJECT: DEPARTMENT: Agenda Item: CITY OF SANTA CLARITA AGENDA REPORT City Manager Approval: Item to be presented by: May 13, 2008 21 CALIFORNIA CHILDREN'S OUTDOOR BILL OF RIGHTS Parks, Recreation, and Community Services RECOMMENDED ACTION City Council receive report and adopt a resolution endorsing the California Children's Outdoor Bill of Rights. BACKGROUND The California Roundtable on Recreation, Parks, and Tourism, founded in 1998, encourages cooperation between public and private entities involved and interested in outdoor recreation, public lands, and tourism in California. With recent concerns about youth detachment from outdoor activities, lack of physical exercise, and increased health risks, the California Roundtable on Recreation, Parks, and Tourism adopted the California Children's Outdoor Bill of Rights (COBR). The Bill of Rights recommends a fundamental list of experiences that every child in California would benefit from experiencing before entering high school. Numerous studies document that children who participate in these activities are healthier, do better in school, have better social skills and self-image, and lead more fulfilled lives. In July 2007, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger endorsed the Children's Outdoor Bill of Rights and was joined in August 2007 by the California State Park and Recreation Commission. The Children's Outdoor Bill of Rights provides that every child between the ages of 4 and 14 have the opportunity to Adopted: 6q- o S, Z .q 1. Discover California's past 6. Learn to swim 2. Splash in the water 7. Play on a team 3. Play in a safe place 8. Follow a trail 4. Camp under the stars 9. Catch a fish 5. Explore nature 10. Celebrate their heritage The Parks, Recreation, and Community Services Department currently provides many of the opportunities listed on the Bill of Rights and,will continue to explore new options for furthering its commitment. Some of the programs currently being offered that align themselves with the Children's Outdoor Bill of rights include: • Youth Sports Programs (Play on a Team) • Aquatic Center and Pools (Splash in the Water, Learn to Swim) • Parkmobile, Day Camps, Community Center (Play in a Safe Place) • Family Camp (Camp under the Stars, Explore Nature, Follow a Trail, Catch a Fish) • Ballet Folklorico, Contract Classes, Community Center events (Celebrate their Heritage) To help ensure that youth have the opportunity to participate in these types of programs, the City offers the SCORE scholarship program. Approximately 20 to 30 requests are approved to receive funding each season. Currently, scholarships are awarded based on: • The amount of contributions received from the public (donations made from residents and non-residents) during the previous season (i.e., funds contributed in spring will be allocated for summer classes and programs) • Money allotted through the Todd Longshore Trust Fund (a total of $4,000 is provided every year to fund scholarships) • Occasional donations from film companies who utilize City facilities to film (amount of donation varies and is not guaranteed The City of Santa Clarita is committed to continuing the mission of Healthy Santa Clarita by adopting a resolution endorsing the California Children's Outdoor Bill of Rights (Attachment 1). FISCAL IMPACT None by this action. ATTACHMENTS Resolution RESOLUTION NO. A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SANTA CLARITA ENDORSING THE CALIFORNIA CHILDREN'S OUTDOOR BILL OF RIGHTS WHEREAS, the City of Santa Clarita recognizes the recent concerns about youth detachment from outdoor activities, lack of physical exercise and increased health risks, especially associated with childhood obesity; and WHEREAS, the City of Santa Clarita recognizes that spending time in the great outdoors can be a wonderful experience for people of all ages, and especially for our youth; and WHEREAS, the California Roundtable on Recreation, Parks, and Tourism documents numerous studies that have shown children who participate in outdoor recreational activities do better in school, have better social skills and self-image, lead more fulfilled lives, and experience a marked benefit to health concerns; and WHEREAS, the California Children's Outdoor Bill of Rights is an initiative that states that all children should have the opportunity to participate in outdoor recreational activities and discover their connection to California's story. WHEREAS, the Bill of Rights provides that youth between the ages of four and fourteen should have the opportunity to: 1. Discover California's past 6. Learn to swim 2. Splash in the water 7. Play on a team 3. Play in a safe place 8. Follow a trail 4. Camp under the stars 9. Catch a fish 5. Explore nature 10. Celebrate their heritage NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the City Council of the City of Santa Clarita is proud to hereby endorse the California Children's Outdoor Bill of Rights, and promote its mission and featured activities for the children of Santa Clarita. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the City Council of the City of Santa Clarita hereby supports efforts within the community to provide opportunities and programs so that children may experience the excitement and wonder of the outdoors and be inspired to appreciate and sustain our natural and cultural treasures. PASSED AND ADOPTED by the City Council of the City of Santa Clarita, this Day of 72008. PU EST •: ATTEST: CITY CLERK STATE OF CALIFORNIA ) COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES ) ss. CITY OF SANTA CLARITA ) I, Sharon L. Dawson, City Clerk of the City of Santa Clarita, do hereby certify that the foregoing Resolution was duly adopted by the City Council of the City of Santa Clarita at the regular meeting thereof, held on the day of 2008, by the following vote: AYES: COUNCILMEMBERS: NOES: COUNCILMEMBERS: ABSENT: COUNCILMEMBERS: CITY CLERK 2