>> this is holly lee knox. there are some proud pet owners in san francisco and they have brought all their pets here to strut their stuff.

>> it's an annual event that we've had. this is our 18th year. we bring in rescue groupers, vendors, supporters, lots and lots of animals. it's a proud day for us and for the animals of san francisco. >> the costume contest is really fun. people get really creative. it's a really fun event. people go all out, create costumes, buy costumes, whatever it is. but there's some really fun ones. >> we're just celebrating the pets and just their companionship and how they are invaluable. so everybody's having fun. >> we're the city's open door shelter. that means we take in every animal that comes through our door regardless of age, condition, species, everything in the city comes through us

that is in need. >> animal care control, it is such an important agency and is very understaffed, has very few resources. but we make animals don't have a home, that we get them a home and that we don't put the animals to sleep, that we're able to adopt them out. >> we have a huge number of volunteers who come in and they will walk our dogs, socialize our animals, play with cats, play with them, bring them to adoption events today. >> i volunteer with the animal control center and i do that every week. >> we're in an organization called friends of a.c.c. with that organization, you can donate money if you don't have time. if you do have time, you can come down to the shelter and volunteer to actually have one-on-one time with the animals.

if you're like me and you don't have time to give to an animal, if you actually have one of your own, you can get your fix on the weekends, come in and pet them and love them and it's great. >> this has been pet pride 2011 brought to you by san francisco animal care and control. to find out more, visit them on the web at sfgov

>> good afternoon, everybody. we know it is only april.

they are going to have access to high-quality summer learning opportunities this summer. it is not just the nice thing to do have, because it is actually critical to our students. many children suffer from summer learning loss, and i know many of you have heard of it. it has gotten a lot of attention nationally, the phenomenon where children who are not engaged in learning activity over summer are losing ground academically. they are forgetting the skills, and they start the next school year behind.

children are falling more and more behind. the research suggests that two- thirds of the achievement gap between low and middle income children who can be attributed to what happens in the summer. it also turns out many children are gaining weight more rapidly in the summer because they lose access to physical activities and meal programs they have access to during the school year, so it is clear there is a lot at stake, which is why we have launch this summer matters campaign to raise awareness across the state about why it is so important to make sure the children have safe and healthy learning experiences all summer

long. i want to point out a map to our left, where we are beginning to chart a particularly exciting summer initiatives in southern california, one of them right here in san francisco, which we are going to hear more about today. we are thrilled to have a distinguished line of of speakers to talk about creating opportunities across the state. first, i am thrilled to bring up tom, who for his entire career has really championed the cause of making sure the children have access to learning opportunities not just in the classroom but outside of the classroom as well.

he was one of the first people to sign in the last year when he took office because he recognized this was a crowd of local ingredients -- a critical ingredient, so please join me in welcoming tom. >> are you ready for summer? i was born in this great city. it is in your heart and in your mind. i just want to say thank you for this coalition, this team that has come together. you keep pushing the issue, i keep educating, and this is what it is all about, to share what it means so every young person can experience success. we are pleased to be here with

the mayor and the team from the school district. mendoza, i am glad to see you. the rich partnership but has been developed in san francisco is truly a role model for the rest of california, and what we are here about is summer learning loss, because we know that with the joy that comes with summer for most families, there is a time to gather with family members. there is a time for freedom to play, maybe some trouble. this is not the case for all its children in california. one in four children are growing up in poverty. they do not have health care, and they are struggling along with parents. they do not have summer camps. they do not have family travel

together, and it is that differential hurting the success of kids and creating a great achievement gap that should be there. it is wrong morally, and it is wrong for the future of our economy. we formed a team that look at the top issues. we noted deaths middle-income kids of low-income kids learn in the school year of about the same rate -- we noted middle income kids of low-income kids learn in the school year of about the same state. -- rate. during the summer middle income kids keep learning in their own environment, but low income kids go down, and that widens the achievement gap, so by eighth grade we have many students

seeing that drop accumulate to maybe being a dropout statistics. they get behind and feel they are not as good as other students. we need to have them continue that learning. this is one of the top priorities. we want to see that matt still been -- map filled in. it is exciting, engaging, and excellent. we want to see that throughout this state of california. what you are doing through san francisco with the after school for all initiatives and the summer programs, this is the way to go for the whole state of

california. that is why we are here today. i am issuing a call to action for all the city councils, all the superintendents and board members, and you have a great champion in your superintendent. he has been a partner to make it happen, so we want to see the rest of california follow the great example of san francisco taking care of all of our children. thank you very much, and it is my privilege to introduce you to someone on the department of education foundation. he is the ceo of the education foundation and a true leader in this area, summer matters. [applause] >> thank you, superintendent,

for your leadership. silicon valley is known to have this dna where it produces steve jobs, sergei brin, all these people who innovate, and innovation transfers in a unique way. it is hard work, and hard work is the essence of that. we want to make sure we continue to produce more leaders like steve jobs, like larry page, like sergei brin, and like esmeralda, who has gone through the last three summers. we are obsessed with preparing careers. there are 32 school districts.

this is a chance for a lot of agencies to come together and address that. i hope it can be shared in an open source environment. this is a science and technology focus, but it does address a lot of things and brings them together. over 18 school districts have come together. over 50 nonprofits to address one thing. how do we get 1000 kids over one year ahead in math competency to take algebra by the eighth grade? they go to the tech museum, the computer history museum, but they also learn actual on algebra, and we see great growth

thanks to support from the foundation as well. we have a program that prepares students for biology in the ninth grade. we are also trying to figure out how you create a great programs that keep the kids in gauge, and that is a program. did we try to figure out what are the key practices and how do they bring this together. they are mixing a lot of great things and becoming innovators in the process.

if she had been gauged and had all of this come together, she wants to be a veterinarian, and she makes sure her sister is in the program as well. we are going to produce more a small the -- more esmeraldas and steve jobs. we look forward to working with you in the summer. >> thank you. before we move on, i want to recognize supervisors got wiener -- supervisor scott and wiener. it means a lot to have you here. next i am going to invite our next guest, who is a true champion for youth programs in san francisco. mayor edwin lee recently challenged businesses to offer jobs and internships to use during the summer.

he and values high quality program faor all youth. please welcome the mayor of san francisco, and will leave. >> thank you. -- edwin lee. >> thank you theory of summer does matter. now the whole state is going to work with you. i want to register our city, a strong desire to work with you, opportunities all over the state, and it begins at home with our business community. we announce an exciting opportunity to create summer jobs. to make sure we use the summer

and not allow it to be just an idle time, but you know already, because i think you are here with the knowledge that it is not just summer, but it is year round. we have to make better investments. that is why i was so happy when the other city departments, not just their teachers and administrators during the best they can, but we joined with other departments, our libraries, and our public works department, offering some connections, and when you find out steps they got together with housing authority to offer summer access for free to kids who could not afford it, that says something about our commitment to enriching the lives of our youth, because it

will never only be the school district said have this responsibility. it has to be the need for others to stepped-u up to create that o opportunity. the village concept has to embrace the future of our kids, and that is why i have always been happy. other people keep asking me, are you enjoying the mayor? that is a strong word, but there are moments i do enjoy it. those are when our kids are involved. they think, is the city is doing anything for me so that i can get a job in richmond, so i can get training? and because i look at these high-tech jobs. the future economy is going to

demand higher skills. what do we do about that? not only are we enriching the lives of our kids, but we are a listing all of the downtown members of our chamber of commerce, all of them to join us and to create miniature ships and and skill sets so our kids can have a foundation for these -- to create mentor's ships -- mentorships and skill sets so our kids can have a foundation. we have extended those summer opportunities and when we knew there were gaps. we found that last year when advocates said there were going to be 400 or 500 kids that were going to fail in math and science, and we said we were

going to offer summer classes so they would not fail. we are going to continue doing that. when we create the jobs that thing for them to have those skills they are going to need to be successful. that is how we are going to have to go throughout the state. in every opportunity you provide, we go well beyond our school district in. i am going to see if we can do more so they go beyond the classroom.

thank you for joining us. this instigates a lot of my enthusiasm for our kids, superintendent garcia. >> good afternoon. >> if i went down the list, we would be here all day, but it is special to be here with the superintendent of schools the support us, and i know maria does a fabulous job with us, and

when you look at all the difference funders and nonprofits that step up to support us, i want to say thank you, because the rest of the state is not like san francisco. everybody thinks we are a little out there, but we are out there in the right direction. we are out there to provide things for our children. we are providing a service. we are cutting all our funds for summer school. i want to thank representatives who are here. all of us get hit did against each other. all of us are here to say there

is nothing more important than our children. the board of supervisors, the mayor came to our rescue. immediately they came so our kids can keep learning. we are closing the achievement gap, and that cannot happen unless we have a good summer programs to keep our youth engaged. they need to be engaged, and education needs to happen every single day. what a great place for a campus if you were a student if you

were to go around this city. it is not just talking about it but actually stepping up and doing something about it. thank you to all of you. i have her two daughters.

come on up here. >> can my lower this? thank you all very much for being here today. dealing with the things we are talking about. i run an after-school program. i am rare. most families need summer for their kids to be. now they need somewhere that is safe. they need somewhere to continue

to build the strength and they work so hard for during the school year, and they need interesting things that do not already get packed into and and and and and and new school year. they need a place the kids are -- they do not already get packed into in the school year. they need things that are fun. gooi really want to speak to all the partnerships of make it possible, community-based organizations. we need all of its. we can talk all day about the achievement gap, but it really comes down to what i hear parents say, which is where it will be safe?

where is a good program? i can say there are a lot of good programs of support our kids, and we are very lucky for all of that. they are our future, and we need to be supporting all of our students so they have an opportunity to bring us the next generation of computers and technology. they are better at it than we are in the way. thank you 3 much, and please continue supporting summer programs. >> thank you, michelle. i just want to echo the recognition of the united educators of san francisco for being here today. we want to maintain the great work they do during the year and send the kids back to the classroom on track during the

fall. we are hoping all of you will be able to stay and talk with us some more. thank you all for being here. [music]