March 6, 2000
State leaders are trying to get the word out that the 2000 census is not just a head count but it can actually determine where schools, roads and health-care facilities are built.
News Specialist Scott Light reports.
Northwest Middle School put on quite the show for Governor Leavitt today.
Northwest is the most diverse school in the state and it used that diversity to show how every ethnic group, every nationality, and every Utahn is important for the 2000 census.
Mildred Sparks/Office of Black Affairs Dir.: "REMEMBER THAT THE ETHNIC CITIZENS WERE UNDERCOUNTED IN THE 1990 CENSUS."
Moon Ji/Office of Asian Affairs Director: "SAY OHIO.. O-HI-O.. THAT'S IN JAPANESE FOR GOOD MORNING.
IT'S SO EASY."
"WE HAVE SWAHILI.. YORUBA.. AND IN FRENCH."
"POUR FAVOIRE.... PLEASE."
Bill Afeaki/Office of Pacific Islander Affairs Dir.: "A LOT OF ETHNIC PEOPLE ARE NOT ABLE TO SPEAK ENGLISH AND IT'S IMPORTANT TO GET THE MESSAGE THROUGH CHILDREN AND KIDS WHO CAN."
Olene Walker/Lt. Governor: "YOU ARE IMPORTANT AND YOU NEED TO BE COUNTED IN THIS CENSUS."
Governor Mike Leavitt: "THIS IS A WAY WE PLAN FOR SCHOOLS BY KNOWING HOW MANY CHILDREN THERE ARE WHO ARE GOING TO SCHOOL."
"EVERY PERSON IN UTAH COUNTS."
Mildred Sparks/Office of Black Affairs Dir.: "I THINK IT WAS IMPORTANT TO COME HERE TODAY IN DIFFERENT LANGUAGES .. FROM DIFFERENT AREAS OF THE COUNTRY IN ORDER TO MAKE SURE EVERYONE IS COUNTED."
The school put on quite the show for the governor.
We've put together a special piece to show you how Northwest used its diverse student body to show how every ethnic group, every nationality and every Utahn is important for the 2000 census.
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