Students Miss Prom for 250-Student March in Albany to Raise Awareness of Child Kidnappings in Uganda

Elected Officials Will Simulate "Rescue" of the "Abducted" Children at East Capitol Park

ALBANY, NY (04/24/2009)(readMedia)-- 250 Albany Academies and Siena College students, parents and elected officials will march in downtown Albany to simulate the kidnapping of children in Uganda by the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) who are then forced to become child soldiers. Upon arriving at the Capitol, "the abducted" students will wait to be "rescued" by regional elected officials and the media.

Dozens of student organizers and volunteers of this event have chosen to miss their prom to raise awareness of the injustices against children in northern Uganda. This is part of a 100-city nationwide event and falls on the same evening of the Albany Academies' prom.

WHO:

Capital Region students supporting the Invisible Children organization

Elected Officials
WHAT:

250-student march from Washington Park to East Capitol Park simulating Uganda child abductions.
WHEN: Saturday April 25, 2009 at 03:00PM Eastern Time (US & Canada)
WHERE: East Capitol Park
Albany, New York
NOTES:

Schedule of Events:

3 p.m. March begins at Moses statue, Washington Park, Albany

4 p.m. March ends/Rescue begins-Sen. Gillibrand or RepElected Officials will speak and "rescue" the "abducted" childrenEast Capitol Park (intersection of State, Washington and Eagle Streets)

6 p.m. - Albany Mayor Jerry Jennings

Elected Officials will speak and "rescue" the "abducted" children East Capitol Park (intersection of State, Washington and Eagle Streets)

4-9 p.m.

"Abducted children" will be rescued; letter-writing campaign; art project.East Capitol Park (intersection of State, Washington and Eagle)

Additional Information

Invisible Children is an organization that works to stop the kidnapping of children in Uganda. These children are kidnapped by Joseph Kony, the leader of the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA), and forced to become soldiers. The child soldier does everything adult soldiers do. They are trained to kill, ransack and terrorize the people of Uganda. This march and rescue is a peaceful vigil organized by the Albany Academies Schools for Schools Club and the Siena College Model United Nations organization.

www.invisiblechildren.com

Students and elected officials will be available for interviews. Albany Academies' students missing prom to participate.

Anticipated Participants:

Albany Mayor Jerry Jennings

Albany County Executive Mike Breslin

Assemblyman Ron Canestrari

Assemblyman Jack McEneny

Assemblyman Bob Riley

Assemblyman Tim Gordon

Senator Kirstin Gillibrand

Senator Charles Schumer

Congressman Paul Tonko

Bethlehem Supervisor Jack Cunningham

Student Interviews Available:

Sarah Farber, president Albany Academies' Schools for Schools Club, high school junior

Megan Lewis, volunteer coordinator, Albany Academies' Schools for Schools Club, high school junior

www.invisiblechildren.com