Miyares and Beamer lead effort to help protect 340,500 middle school students in Virginia this year.

Attorney General Jason Miyares and legendary Virginia Tech football coach Frank Beamer announced a partnership with the National Child ID Program to provide child ID kits to 6th, 7th, and 8th-grade students across the Commonwealth.

The announcement occurred before the West Virginia University vs. Virginia Tech football game.

“As Attorney General, my biggest priority is keeping our children safe. That’s why I’m thrilled to join Virginia Tech legend Frank Beamer and launch the Virginia Child ID Program. The National Child ID Program is a free, easy, and effective tool to help Virginia parents prepare for the unimaginable,” said Attorney General Miyares. “When a child goes missing, the first twenty-four hours are crucial to law enforcement. These ID kits, kept safe by parents, are designed to assist law enforcement at the onset of the investigation so that more time can be used locating the missing child.”

“I am humbled by General Miyares’ dedication to protecting the children of the Commonwealth of Virginia. He is taking steps to ensure safety in his state and protect children from the grave threat of human trafficking. I am honored to partner with him on the National Child ID Program launch in Virginia,” said National Child ID Program Executive Director Kenny Hansmire.

“As a father and grandfather, I cannot imagine anything more important than protecting children. Attorney General Miyares and the National Child ID Program have taken significant steps to make Virginia’s children safer with this program,” Hall of Fame Coach Frank Beamer said about the partnership.

This year, the National Child ID Program celebrates its 25th anniversary. The program was created by football coaches in 1997 following the abduction and death of Amber Hagerman, the namesake for the Amber Alert. Since then, over 75 million child ID kits have been distributed nationally via public-private partnerships.

Each year, over half a million children go missing. In Virginia, 2,500 children have been reported missing, and 400 are actively missing. Unfortunately, 25% of all human trafficking cases include a child, and minority populations are three times more likely to go missing or be abducted.