Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen to Kick Off 2012 National Missing Children's Day Poster Contest

“Wisconsin's AMBER Alert program shows how government agencies, media and concerned individuals can work together to protect children. This contest also will help parents and teachers give our children what they need to stay safe on the street and online,” Attorney General Van Hollen said.

MADISON — On Thursday, January 26, 2012, Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen will kick off Wisconsin's participation in the 2012 National Missing Children's Day Poster Contest by visiting James Madison Elementary School, 600 Maria Drive, Stevens Point, WI, where the Attorney General will meet with the school's 5th graders. This event begins at 10:15 a.m. and is open to the media.

Every year, more than 1.3 million children are reported missing. The Wisconsin Department of Justice (DOJ) administers a Missing Children Clearinghouse, which coordinates efforts on behalf of Wisconsin's missing persons. Since 2003, when it was established, Wisconsin's AMBER Alert program has been activated more than 20 times. On December 19, 2011, the DOJ issued an AMBER Alert for a 13-year-old from Lake Geneva, who was later returned home safely, but many children nationwide never make it home.

“Wisconsin's AMBER Alert program shows how government agencies, media and concerned individuals can work together to protect children,” Attorney General Van Hollen said. “This contest also will help parents and teachers give our children what they need to stay safe on the street and online.”

All Wisconsin 5th graders are invited to create a poster to “Bring Our Missing Children Home,” which is the theme of the national competition. The winner from Wisconsin will compete nationally for the opportunity to attend the annual National Missing Children's Day Ceremony in Washington, DC.

Posters must be received at the Wisconsin DOJ by March 12, 2012 and should be sent to:

Susan A. WhiteHorse

DOJ, Division of Criminal Investigation

17 W. Main St.

P.O. Box 7857

Madison, WI 53707-7857

Additional details about contest rules, key dates and other resources are available at: http://www.doj.state.wi.us/