Maryland Children's Outdoor Bill of Rights
April 21, 2009
Governor O'Malley: Where did you see a duck?
Children: Right there!
Governor O'Malley: The duck wants to hear what we're doing here today. That's a wood duck. How about that?
So what we have done -- what Dr. Maxwell has done in his report is to put together recommendations where we can put our schools together with our churches and with everybody who is in charge of protecting this open space and the beauty of the Bay, and figure out ways that we leave no child indoors.
Figure out ways that we can get every child out into nature, understanding what it's all about and also understanding one other important thing -- and what is that? I'll give you a hint. It's how our own actions effect the health of the Bay.
And what do we mean by that? What's something that's good to do that helps the Bay and nature? Yes, ma'am?
Child: Don't put your trash on the ground.
Governor O'Malley: Not putting trash on the ground. Right. Yes, sir?
Child: Don't pollute.
Governor O'Malley: Don't pollute. Right. What else?
Child: Recycle.
Governor O'Malley: Recycle. Right. What else? Planting trees, right? Wherever you can plant trees. Planting trees is good for the Bay.
But our best hope of being able to keep the Chesapeake Bay and keeping it beautiful for kids in another generation is going to be your understanding of what makes the Bay better and what makes the Bay worse. What makes the Bay healthier and what makes the Bay a better place for everybody to enjoy.
So we are adopting today one of the recommendations from the report, which was the issuing of a Maryland Children's Outdoor Bill of Rights.
And this, ladies and gentlemen, is the audience participation part. Not quite as exciting or as perilous as our boat ride, is it? It was a lot of adventure -- you should have seen the fear in the eyes of my crew as I tried to manage those oars. (Laughter.)
All right. Let me -- if you can squeeze down a little bit there, ma'am. All right. I want you to repeat after me. Here we go.
This is the Maryland Children's Outdoor Bill of Rights.
Every Maryland child shall have the opportunity to, number one -- hold on, I'm going to ask you to repeat it -- number one, Discover and connect with their natural world.
Children: Discover and connect with their natural world.
Governor O'Malley: Smart group here at Georgetown East Elementary.
Children: Smart group here at Georgetown -- (Laughter and applause.)
Governor O'Malley: That's why it's called Arlington Echo. Number two, Play and learn outdoors.
Children: Play and learn outdoors.
Governor O'Malley: Number three, Splash and swim in the water.
Children: Number three, Splash and swim in the water.
Governor O'Malley: Number four, Camp under the stars.
Children: Number four, Camp under the stars.
Governor O'Malley: Number five, Follow a trail.
Children: Number five, Follow a trail.
Governor O'Malley: Number six, Catch a fish.
Children: Number six, Catch a fish.
Governor O'Malley: Number seven, Watch wildlife.
Children: Number seven, Watch wildlife.
Governor O'Malley: Number eight, Explore wild places close to home.
Children: Number eight, Explore wild places close to home.
Governor O'Malley: That was a hard one, wasn't it? Let's try that again. Number eight, Explore wild places close to home.
Children: Number eight, Explore wild places close to home.
Governor O'Malley: Number nine, Celebrate their culture and heritage.
Children: Number nine, Celebrate their culture and heritage.
Governor O'Malley: Number ten, Share nature with a great mentor or teacher or parent.
Children: Number ten, Share nature with a great mentor or teacher or parent.
Governor O'Malley: I added the parent part myself.
Children: I added the parent part -- (Laughter.)
Governor: Okay. Let me see if I can stop the echo.
What is this you have here, young man? Well, this is that Bill of Rights. So this is a proclamation from your Governor and you just helped issue it here, in echo fashion, here at Arlington Echo. So congratulations. (Applause.)
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