First Annual SPP Alumni Signature Event Focuses on Children at Risk

Some 200 alumni, students and faculty members attended “Children at Risk,” the SPP Alumni Chapter’s first annual Signature Event.

Through the event, which took place on Oct. 22 in the Johnson Center’s Dewberry Hall, the two-year-old Alumni chapter hoped to give its members an opportunity to create and maintain relationships with SPP faculty members and students. In addition, “the program was set to deliver important and inspirational information about children at risk to a diverse group of people from academic, professional and government backgrounds,” according to Nurten Helvaci, president of the SPP Alumni Chapter. “The objective was to discuss these issues and ultimately make them close-to-home personal issues for the attendees.”

Alumni mingled with SPP students and faculty members during the cocktail reception

After a cocktail reception, guests ate dinner, and a distinguished panel spoke about the plight of children. All speakers asked the audience to use its policy-making skills to help children at risk. Eileen O’Connor, president of the International Center for Journalism and an award-winning journalist who has reported from several war zones, introduced the speakers. “Children and women are our main victims of war,” she told the crowd. “…They are victims also of our policy decisions.”

Martin Rendon, vice president for public policy and advocacy of the U.S. Fund for UNICEF, spoke first about the risks facing children around the globe and urged attendees to understand the dire circumstances that exist in the lives of young people, who face poverty, hunger, war, trafficking and ethnic bigotry. “They are indeed present and asking for our action right now,” he said. “We can’t wait until tomorrow. I hope that a sense of urgency will make it a world for all children.”

The panel of guest speakers included representatives from UNICEF, the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Washington and Comprehensive Technologies International. Eileen O’Connor, president of the International Center for Journalism, moderated the event

Hear Ms. Heather Gaillard, Director of Career Services and Alumni Relations, speak on the Children@Risk Event.

Patricia Shannon, president and CEO of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Washington, spoke next about children at risk at the national and regional levels, where she blames a poor education system and poverty for putting American youth in desperate situations. “If we don’t close the gap between the haves and the have nots then we will have more children at greater risk and nothing else to do. This public policy program must educate your students,” she said. “Somebody has got to reach out and save these children.”

Celestino Martinez Beltran, a Mexican immigrant as a child who worked his way to become chairman and CEO of Comprehensive Technologies International, spoke last about the struggles unique to Hispanic children. Using a case history, Beltran told the story of “Lily,” a Hispanic immigrant child who dropped out of school, became a drug user and ended up pregnant as a teenager. “There are thousands of Lilies sitting quietly…They are confused but most of all living a constant sense of hopelessness,” he said. Beltran made a plea for programs that “close the gaps” and allow immigrants to retain their language and cultures.

After a brief question and answer session, O’Connor thanked the speakers and left the audience with a final request: “We want you all to go out and talk about these issues. Make public policy focus on children because they really are our future,” she said, then, addressing the speakers, added, “Thank you for all your stories. They are inspirational and what you do is inspirational.”

The event was sponsored by Enterprise Resource Performance, Booz Allen Hamilton, Sun Trust Banks and Systems Planning and Analysis, Inc.