Anderson to Attend Boys & Girls Clubs of America
2005 Native American Summit

Assistant Secretary to sign cooperative agreement with youth organization
to establish Indian clubs at BIA-funded schools

WASHINGTON - Assistant Secretary - Indian Affairs David W. Anderson will attend the Boys & Girls Clubs of America (BCGA) 2005 Native American Summit in Phoenix, Ariz., next month where he will sign a cooperative agreement with the organization to establish BCGA Indian Clubs at or near schools funded by the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA). The summit will take place Feb. 1-3 at the Embassy Suites Hotel Phoenix-North.

The Assistant Secretary will sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to encourage cooperation and collaboration between BCGA and the BIA's Office of Indian Education Programs (OIEP) to address alcohol and drug abuse, gang activity, violence and other issues that adversely affect Indian students while promoting positive alternatives for at-risk children.

The Assistant Secretary oversees the BIA, the 180-year old agency that serves the 562 Federally recognized tribes and their members, and the BIA school system. BIA-funded schools serve approximately 48,000 American Indian children in 184 elementary and secondary day and boarding schools located on or near 63 reservations in 23 states. One-third of these schools are directly operated by the bureau. The rest are tribally operated under BIA contracts or grants.

Note to Editors: Credentialed media covering the event should be in place by 1:15 p.m.
Press seating will be provided.