S-1723.1  _______________________________________________

                         SENATE BILL 5898

          _______________________________________________

State of Washington      55th Legislature     1997 Regular Session

By Senators Jacobsen, Wojahn, Wood, Brown, Kline, Sheldon, Goings, Snyder, Thibaudeau, Franklin, Bauer, Swanson, Winsley and Kohl

Read first time 02/18/97.  Referred to Committee on Education.

Encouraging schools to establish policies for mentoring programs for female athletes.

    AN ACT Relating to encouraging young girls to participate in organized athletics; and adding a new section to chapter 28A.300 RCW.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.  A new section is added to chapter 28A.300 RCW to read as follows:

    The legislature finds a relationship between a lack of participation by girls in organized athletic programs and increased rates of occurrence for girls in teenage pregnancy, dropping out of high school, drug involvement, domestic violence, and mental health problems.  The legislature finds that girls who do not participate in organized athletic programs at a young age are less likely to participate in organized athletic programs in high school and college.

    School districts are encouraged to adopt policies to provide a mentoring program for female athletes in elementary schools.  Mentoring programs may consist of visits to elementary schools by female high school, college, and professional female athletes.

    The center for the improvement of student learning shall distribute information about effective mentoring programs for female athletes.

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