Clinton to address annual conference

Clinton will speak at the Second General Session on Sunday, April 15.

Clinton’s proudest accomplishments as president -- he served two terms, 1992-2000 -- led to a strong economy, marked by high levels of job growth, millions of Americans moving from welfare to work, large investments in education, the highest levels of college enrollment in history, and a move from record federal deficits to record surpluses.

Before he was elected president, Clinton gained a national reputation for his education initiatives as governor of Arkansas and chair of the National Governors Association.

Since leaving the White House, Clinton has maintained his position on the world stage through the William J. Clinton Foundation, which is aimed at helping people in the United States and across the world meet the challenges of global interdependence.

The foundation focuses on four critical areas: health security, with an emphasis on HIV/ AIDS; economic empowerment; leadership development and citizen service; and racial, ethnic, and religious reconciliation.

The foundation also is working with the American Heart Association on the Alliance for a Healthier Generation to combat childhood obesity.

The Opening General Session, Saturday, April 14, will feature F.W. de Klerk, who served as president of South Africa from 1989 to 1994 and was instrumental in dismantling that country’s century-old system of apartheid.

Under de Klerk’s leadership, Nelson Mandela was released from prison and the formerly banned African National Congress was legalized. Mandela and de Klerk were jointly awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1993.

In 2004, de Klerk founded The Global Leadership, a group of former heads of state dedicated to promoting peace, democracy, and development in troubled times.

Educator Erin Gruwell and her former student, Maria Reyes, will speak at the Monday, April 16, General Session. Gruwell has earned a national reputation for her steadfast commitment to the future of children and education.

The story of how Gruwell inspired Maria and other children to succeed is the subject of the feature film, “Freedom Writers,” starring Oscar-winner Hilary Swank. Gruwell is the president of the Freedom Writers Foundation, which is dedicated to helping communities by reducing high school drop­out rates.

Actress and author Jamie Lee Curtis will speak at the final General Session, Tuesday, April 17. Curtis has appeared in many films, ranging from “Halloween,” to “True Lies,” to “Freaky Friday.”