Jane Q. Public here, front and center

I recently read an op-ed in the Baltimore Sun by Wendy D. Puriefoy ("Public engagement and education excellence") of which the opening line was "Too much of the public is missing from public education."

And I agree. I agree that we aren't engaging enough when it comes attending school board meetings or even questioning those that are running for school board. That we don't question enough how budgets are not only crafted but executed. We certainly cry foul when our property taxes are raised or we are asked to pass a levy that would benefit our schools, but once those taxes pass, once that levy fails we don't follow through. We know how critical early childhood education and interventions are, yet our elected leaders keep balancing the budget by cutting funding to this critical programs. And we don't call them, or call them out about it. 

I speak with members of "the public" every day about education issues. We debate. We write. We make phone calls. We visit elected leaders. We volunteer in our children's classrooms. We fill backpacks with food. We collect clothing for those without. We spend our own money to travel to conferences or meetings so we can try to make a difference. We gather together at our state capitol to let lawmakers know that we are concerned about the most vulnerable of our public: our children. 

Advocates and children at the Kentucky Youth Advocates Children's Advocacy Day at the Capitol

And while In this instance we weren't there specifically to discuss education issues, although certainly there are many pending in our legislation this session (and as I write this the education subcommittee is deep in dialogue about  raising the drop-out age from 16 to 18, and after much back and forth the House voted 87-10 to pass), many who attended this rally were there for other reasons:

• because death from child abuse and neglect is tragic yet preventable;
• because the first five years of life are most critical for children, and we need to ensure that funding for early childhood programs do not go below revised budgets and we need to keep funding for expanded preschool opportunities;
• because we need to improve alternative education programs (which in Kentucky currently serve more than 60,000 students);
• because we need to limit incarceration of youth for misbehavior.

So the public isn't missing from public education, or other public issues for that matter.What is missing is attention being paid to the public when they speak about these concerns.

Far too often the discussion is happening when the public isn't present, or sadly, isn't invited to be present. Decisions are made every day and only after the fact does a parent or community member learn that there was a meeting. It isn't that the information is being kept in a secret location or written about in code, it's just not being distributed to all parties in a respectful way.

We also don't quite know how we want the public to engage. Certainly leaders like it when we rally for their concerns but not against them. Our school systems want parents to attend a field trip, but not question how that field trip was budgeted for. We want there to be a public face to public education but we often don't want there to be a public voice speaking out about public education.  

The public is here. Many of us do not have degrees or get our story told in a magazine. Many of us do not get paid fees to speak, in fact, many of us do not get paid, period. We publicly engage because that is what we should do, not because someone wants us to. 

Nice to meet you. Jane Q. Public here, ready to advocate, ready to rally, ready to be the public part of public education. Here are my three reasons:

I'm ready to have a public conversation about public education. Are you ready to listen?

How do you change the world?

One day at a time.


Today may not be the day for you to enact change. It might not be tomorrow either. But that's okay. I know 44 other incredible champions who decided that because of the work that the United Nations Foundation Shot@Life is doing, that yesterday was their day to change the world. All I ask is that when you decide that today will be your day, you will give that day, that change everything you've got. Not for yourself, but for those who you are helping. Because although we were called "champions" we all know that a champion is someone who "defends, advocates, upholds, protects" in essence, someone who does something because they know that something is the right thing to do.


I also know that the many champions of this world won't get the recognition they richly deserve. I know that Monica Gallagher Sakala, Nicole Melancon, Holly Pavlika, Jen Barth, Chrysula Lytras Winegar, Portia Mount, Lyssa Sahadevan, Polly Palumbo, and others from the summit, may never get a feature article in the paper or a plaque from the Mayor. They work tirelessly for change and recognize that they may not ever see the results of that change in their own lifetime. But they, we, do it anyway and here's why:

• A child dies every TWENTY seconds.

It's that simple. A child dies. 


So while I spent my morning enjoying a cup of coffee, a hot shower, clean clothes, the ability to transport my children to school, a good lunch, in that four hour period 720 children died. 


Let me repeat that, 720 children died. And because they didn't have a vaccine against pneumonia, diarrhea, measles, and polio. So for children in India, Nigeria, Pakistan, Indonesia, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, China, Uganda, Chad and Kenya, I can be a champion. 


720 children. Just for some perspective the total student population at my children's elementary school is 620 students. So just imagine this community of children that I know so well, who I have read stories to, built a playground for, been on field trips with, gone. And if you ask their parents to do something to prevent that from happening, they would. Without hesitation. Without question. They would be champions.


And being a champion doesn't take putting on a red cape or gold bracelets. It doesn't involve me even leaving the comfort of my home. All it takes is:

• Reading and sharing information with others. Like what I'm doing now. In a two day period in DC I heard from an incredible array of advocates who believe in a movement and understand that we can make a change.
• Signing a pledge to support Shot@Life. As I write this just over 74,000 people have signed the pledge. 
• Donate. Twenty dollars can save a child. TWENTY DOLLARS. How many times a week do you stop for a special coffee drink? So make Friday the day you go without. Four Fridays = A child's life. 
• Shop. What? Yes, shop. But use Buy4 when you do. By using this site, 30% of your purchase will go to Shot@life. You were probably going to buy a new book or a sweater anyway, why not have some of those funds go to a good cause?
• Believing: I believe that every child deserves a healthy life no matter where they live. Because of that belief I pledge to do what I can to help those children have a "shot@life."

With fellow champions (and Mom Congress delegates) Jen DeFranco and Felisa Hilbert

My children have that shot. For those of you reading this blog who have children, chances are pretty good that you have been able to provide your family with that shot. For those of you reading this who aren't parents, chances are you might be an uncle, an aunt, work with children, or just be connected in some way with the understanding that all children deserve a shot at...being messy eaters, having temper tantrums, participating in sibling rivalry. A shot at....

So join me in the months ahead as I, along with other champions, along with you, help to give all children a shot@life. 


Because doesn't every child deserve a shot of having someone be their champion?

Full Disclosure: 

 The Shot@Life campaign covered my travel to Washington and accommodations, 

but otherwise I am working on a volunteer basis and receive no monetary compensation.

One in Three is One too many

In last evening's State of the Union speech, President Obama was very firm in his belief that education has to be made a priority if we are going to succeed as a Nation. He emphatically urged states to no longer permit students to drop out of school and for colleges to make higher education fiscally attainable.

Unfortunately Kentucky still has a legal drop out age of 16. For the last three years legislation to change this has been tossed around from the House to the Senate, but falling short every time. The argument against has always been that our at-risk students would cause more problems in our schools if they were encouraged to stay and complete their course work in order to walk across a stage and collect a diploma (Ed.gov Blog). It is the "if they don't want to be there we shouldn't force them to stay" argument that causes me great concern. Currently Kentucky has a state wide graduation rate of 76.68%. In Jefferson County, the graduation rate is 69.27%. In the last seven years, 34.3% of high school students from JCPS have dropped out. That is 1 student out of every 3. 1 in 3. According to a report by Henry Levin on  CNBC,every high school drop out costs the economy $750,000. And it isn't just the fiscal cost of dropping out. We often neglect the social and emotional costs of dropping out. Of being left behind one's peers and labelled a failure by society at large.

I've written about this before. In a 2010 study commissioned by 55,0000 Degrees as part of their goal to help support a college going culture. In this study where students and adults were interviewed, 98% of the students interviewed PLAN on going to college, and 96.30% of students believe that college is important. As indicated above, however, only 69.27% of our students are graduating. Somewhere along the way a disconnect has occurred. We need to start addressing this disconnect and we need to not make leaving school at sixteen an option.

Currently there is legislation pending, yet again, to change this in Kentucky:

In Kentucky we still legally permit students to drop out at age 16. There are currently two pieces of pending legislation: SB (senate bill) 52 and HB (House bill) 216:

SB 52: AN ACT relating to compulsory school age. 
Amend KRS 159.010 to provide that effective July 1, 2016, compulsory school attendance shall be between the ages of six and seventeen; provide that effective July 1, 2017, compulsory school attendance shall be between the ages of six and eighteen; until July 1, 2017, permit parents to withdraw from school a child under the age of eighteen, under certain conditions; amend KRS 159.020 to conform.

(Prefiled by the sponsor(s).)

Jan 3-introduced in Senate; to Education (S)

HB 216 AN ACT relating to school dropout prevention.
Amend KRS 159.010 to require compulsory attendance for children ages 6 to 17 by July 1, 2016, and for children ages 6 to 18 by July 1, 2017, delete counseling provision, make technical corrections; amend KRS 159.020 to conform.

Jan 5-introduced in House
Jan 9-to Education (H)

Call the LRC 1-800-372-7181 to leave a message with the Jefferson Co. Contingent. Let them know you support this legislation. 

I am optimistic that this will be the session in which this legislation passes. Not just because the President urged states to take a hard look at this, but because Kentucky has taken the lead in education reform (with the adoption of the Common Core State Standards, teacher evaluations, new measures of assessments). There  are also many other groups discussing the State of the Union (ED Week, All4Ed, ASCD) and how we must be more proactive in preventing our students from walking away from education. Americas Promise's annual Building of a Grad Nation Summit is quickly approaching. We must continue to work together to make sure that all our children are college and career ready. The first step for Kentucky is passing this legislation. The next step is to recognize that the momentum for a student to drop out actually begins as early as kindergarten. Students and families make the decision to stop caring about education by the fourth grade. We know that student's whose families are in crisis need stronger supports, not just from their school, but from their community at large. We must educate families about the importance of graduating from high school when their children are in pre-school. Our students and families deserve every opportunity in order to achieve success. 

1 in 3 students dropping out is 1 too many. 

When it comes to parent engagement, shouldn't we be breaking down barriers, not building them?

I'm often asked why parents need to be aware of pending legislation and education policy issues when it often appears that it never impacts them or their families. Certainly at times in politics many pieces of legislation are proposed only to never make it out of committee. Some reappear year after year until the time is right and the political climate or reform momentum takes hold and then they are passed into law. 


Currently there are several pieces of legislation concerning education that are gaining traction in Kentucky and all will have a direct impact on the students and families of our state. 


One piece of legislation is House Bill 89 relating to school councils (also known as SBDMs: School Based Decision Making). SBDMs were created under KERA (KRS 160.345). These councils consisting of parents, teachers, and the school principal, are charged with the responsibility to create a school environment that supports student achievement and learning. Parents are elected by other parents and usually serve either a 1-year or 2-year term. Certainly some schools have an abundance of parents who step up to serve, while others struggle to find parents willing to make the commitment. Once elected, there is extensive training on policy issues, how to run a meeting, and on understanding a budget. 


HB 89 "calls for limiting the participation of parents serving on the school based councils by requiring at least one parent residing within the boundaries of the school district to serve on the council." Kentucky PTA recently sent out an action alert on this stating that "We feel this is an unfair disadvantage to parents whose children are lawfully enrolled in a school. Once a student is registered in a school then the parent/guardian should have all the rights as any other parent, including the parents’ right to run for school council."

I certainly write enough about how essential strong partnerships between families and schools are to student success. Parents are one of the major stakeholders in our schools. Some schools often struggle to find one or two parents interested in serving-and other schools actually have six or more willing to step up. But despite these facts (whether a few or many sign up to serve) we keep hearing that "parents aren't engaged enough in education." We have countless webinars, meetings, websites dedicated to increasing parent engagement. So why create a barrier to the very engagement that so many schools are struggling to obtain?

In fact, the parents I know who have served on their school's SBDM take their volunteer job very seriously. They question, they collaborate, they communicate, they commit to a process in which they (and others) believe will benefit the entire school community. Certainly there isn't any glory in this volunteer service. Training is extensive and it is a huge time commitment. And those parents who serve, despite frustrations with process and policy, often go on to encourage and recruit other parents to step up, thus creating a larger pool of families who feel connected and informed about curriculum, student success plans, professional development and so forth. By creating legislation that says a parent can't serve even though their child attends the school, you end up sending a message that parents are only partners in education under "certain circumstances" which are determined by zip code or county. In addition, what message do you send a child when you deny their parent a chance to participate in their education?

So today, you can call the Kentucky Legislative Message Line at 1-800-372-7181. It takes less than five minutes to make a call. In fact, all you have to say is: "Please vote no on HB 89. Let's take down barriers to parent engagement rather than building them. Thank you."

I don't believe the sponsors of this bill intended to create this barrier. In fact, they may think this process will increase parent engagement in education. But intentions and actual practice often become disconnected from one another, especially in the legislative process. And finally, it is important that we are proactive and participate in the process of policy creation, after all, we are our child's first and most valuable teacher. Let's teach our children that their needs come first, not politics. 

Washington Week in Review-Day 3...what's next in 2012?

It was our final morning in DC. The weather had gotten warmer, we were all well rested, and our bags were packed. It was time to go back to our homes, to continue our advocacy efforts on a local scale with the knowledge and information we had gained while in DC. Thankfully, there was just enough time for one quick cup of coffee and a cab ride to meet with Bruce Lesley and Jared Solomon of First Focus and discuss how changes in the economy, in health care, in immigration, housing, child welfare...well how everything that impacts our youth impacts their opportunities in education.

First Focus was established five years ago when it was noticed that while many states have children's advocacy groups, they seemed to be working in silos, separate from one another occasionally coming together at an event or perhaps when an issue or concern seemed to straddle two areas. Bruce Lesley and his staff of now 15 dedicated advocates try to be a clearing house or a bridge for all those silos. Some states, such as Kentucky, have a strong group supporting and engaging in this work. The Kentucky Youth Advocates not only hosts Children's Advocacy Day at the Capitol in partnership with other groups (such as Kentucky PTA, Metro United Way, Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky) and with support from First Focus. A great resource for all advocates in Kentucky (and elsewhere) is the annual Kids Count Data Book produced by the Annie E. Casey Foundation. As advocates we certainly have the passion and drive to stand up and voice our concerns, whether those concerns are about poverty, child abuse, equal education opportunities, but sometimes we just are telling a story or anecdote. It's important to have the data and facts which support the story you tell. If you haven't accessed this data, you should. It will help frame your discussion and dialogue in a way that will give you strength and power. I also suggest looking at First Focus's Top 25 Website Resources in 2011 for links to articles that support the work we all do on a fairly regular basis.

Part of our dialogue with Bruce and the staff that met with us was that a recent study showed that by a margin of 3 to 1 people are unsure that the future will be better for the next generation. Combine that with the statistics we see every day in our own communities about how many students are considered homeless, or living in poverty, or dropping out of school, and it isn't surprising that we are entering 2012 less than optimistic about the future. The saying "plant a seed now for others to sit in the shade" is never more potent than at this moment. In order to change the negative thinking that exists we need to start being positive in our efforts of engagement.

It is no small surprise that First Focus shares office space with Americas Promise, as the goals are really interconnected. If you want all children to be college/career ready and stay engaged in education, and feel supported in education as well, then you need to support those children from the cradle. Early childhood education is but one small aspect of this type of support. And while politicians speak about how our "children are the future" due to the constraints we are all facing today because of the economy, sadly budgets which support our most vulnerable are being drastically cut. So while leaders say they want a great future...they are actually placing roadblocks in front of our families so that future can't be realized.

So what did I learn from meeting with ASCD, Center for Science in the Public Interest, US Department of Education, and First Focus? That we are all connected as a community of care and concern. Whether our specific focus is about education (as mine has been) or about school nutrition, recess, child safety...they are all part of a larger discussion that we need to have. If the purpose of education is to create adults that feel compassionate towards one another and who want to continue to make the world better for the generation that follows then we need to make sure that those children have the best opportunities made available to them in all aspects of their lives.

So, today as I write this and everyone is committing to a day of service in honor of Martin Luther King, Jr., it is important to know that tomorrow is also a day of service, and the day after that, and the next, and so on. Certainly not nationally recognized, but a it is also days in which we can make a difference. For,

All labor that uplifts humanity has dignity and importance and should be undertaken with painstaking excellence. Martin Luther King, Jr. 

What does the rest of 2012 hold for all of us? First we should acknowledge that we cannot do this important work alone. We must work together if we are to accomplish anything. That by connecting with one another and supporting the valuable work we do we will be able to create change agents and agencies that will benefit all our children. I can plant one tree now to provide shade for a few in the future, but if we all plant a tree, we provide shade for a generation.

Washington Week in Review-Day 2

Getting ready to tour the White House!

It was definitely a day of possibilities...the possibility that as I ran on the Mall toward the Lincoln Memorial in the crisp 33 degree temperatures of a 7 am start, that I would collapse and be completely unable to move and hence miss all the big plans the rest of the day held. Trust me, running a 5k on average three to four days a week on a treadmill does not prepare you for a run with a seasoned marathoner who said as we left the hotel,  "it's not that cold outside, is it?" I knew then that I was doomed. That's why calmer heads prevailed and when we made it to the Washington Monument I threw in the towel and turned back. And actually it's a good thing I did...because I just had enough time to pull myself together to get ready for the White House!

Normally I don't think about upgrading from my retro Blackberry to one of those new high-tech phones with 4G coverage...but I sure was glad that Mandy Grisham had hers with her! There we were, showing our id to the nice guard at the gate of the White House...and our names weren't on the list! How could they not be on the list! I had spent days working on a schedule, getting everyone to sign in, organizing logistics...and for nothing! I looked at Felisa Hilbert's face and knew that her dream was about to be crushed and I frantically tried to connect to my email to save the day...but it was Mandy's phone that was able to show Will that we were on the list. Whew!

After the tour...ready for the next adventure!

Sadly, while the tour was incredible, it forced us to cancel a meeting with the staff at KaBOOM! Fortunately Mandy was able to meet with them the next day, but I was looking forward to a rousing game of foosball in the conference room. Alas, that grudge match was not meant to be. It's important to note that the deadline for the KaBOOM! Playful City USA grant application is fast approaching. 

• Playful City USA is an application-based national recognition program honoring cities and towns that make play a priority and use innovative programs to get children active, playing, and healthy. Playful City USA communities make a commitment to play and physical activity by developing unique local action plans to increase the access to play in their community. In doing so, some of the most innovative concepts and cost-effective programs are being developed in Playful City USA communities.

After another quick lunch, off to a meeting with the Department of Education! There is a great opportunity for family and parent engagement in this strong and growing partnership between the Department of Education and Mom Congress. The goals of this collaborative communication effort are to help our schools (where our children spend close to 6 1/2 hours or more a day) and our families (with whom children spend the remainder of their time) build a bridge to educational attainment and achievement together. By using the resources that the DOE has, and by positioning Mom Congress delegates as role models and mentors we can better help ALL parents feel that they are an essential part of their communities educational experience. 

As we know the President is due to make his State of the Union address on January 24. No doubt an emphasis will be placed on the idea that education is a shared responsibility of all citizens and that by working together we can achieve great things. Knowing that the recent Quality Counts 2012 results reveal that not one state earned an A, and that although Kentucky (my state) moved up 20 spots in the ranks to 14th...we did that by earning a C+. So while Kentucky is higher than the national average (which is 76.5) the highest score earned was by Maryland with a B (87.8). So while Kentucky ranks exceedingly high in regards to assessment and accountability (which makes sense with the new implementation of the Common Core State Standards and the new tests that have been created and which will be tried this Spring) we actually scored a C when it comes to a "chance for success." So how do we build those chances for success? By collaborating, communicating, connecting, and counting on one another as equal partners in these endeavors. 

Did you know that there are resources available to assist parents? As much as I know about education/edreform, in our nine years as public school parents, I've never been handed a brochure or guided to a website to help me ask key questions that would better help my children in their educational experience. 

• Helping Your Child Succeed is a great resource of materials that can help. I'd also start reading the Department of Education's blog (you can sign up for alerts/etc) to get a sense of what's happening in and around education. Interested in the waiver process? What about student loans? Curious about how Title I dollars should be spent? It's all here...and more. 

What I took away from this meeting is that it is all about COMMUNITY CONNECTIVITY. That all "stakeholders" (for lack of a better term) have a responsibility to step up and be actively engaged in education, from pre-school through college. That along each and every step of the journey we make a difference, and that by working together our impact is greater than by just working alone or in silos. 

Yes, we know education is a serious business at times, so it was now time to have some serious fun! Thanks to Byron Garrett we were able to engage in lively conversation about what 2012 will hold. Over a scrumptious bowl of gumbo from the Acadiana, we talked parent empowerment and the work that Gwen Samuel (Mom Congress, CT 2010) is doing. We talked about how you don't always have to meet with your Senator or Congressman/woman, but how it is essential to get to know the staff in the office and build those relationships as well.  We spoke of the Books Make it Better advocacy campaign that fellow delegates Jen Barth (MC Oregon 2011),  Renee Berry (MC Washington, 2011), and Meghan Lynch (MC New Jersey 2011) along with support of the other delegates started. Byron is always a gracious host and we were excited to hear more about the plans for next year's Education Nation. Several Mom Congress delegates had been invited in the last two years to attend, as well as to participate as panelists. Who knows what this next year will hold? 

Shree C., Mandy G., Melissa B., Byron G., Myrdin T., Rachel L., & Felisa H. 

All of us are quite hopeful that Byron will be able to join us at the next Mom Congress...and you can too! The application cycle is now open. Are you passionate about education in your community? Maybe you feel it's time to return recess to schools? Perhaps you've created a fantastic parent partnership program in your community and feel you need to share. Do you read every article about ESEA, NCLB, CCSS, and AYP as fast as your fingers can google? Then this is the program for you! Applications are due February 15, 2012. This year's theme: parent school communication/connection. I know you have something to contribute...and I'd love to see you there! 

Are you as exhausted as I am? By the time this evening ended as much as we were looking forward to a good night's sleep, we also knew that there had been magic in the air. That the time had come to go from a magazine contest to a movement...that in 2012, the best is yet to come!

Washington Week in Review 2012 - Day 1

And what a whirlwind of a week it was! Several of my amazing Mom Congress delegates and I had another great opportunity to meet with US Department of Education staff to talk about parent/family engagement opportunities and programs that will be taking place in 2012. In order to maximize our time in the Beltway I managed to arrange a few meetings with other groups to discuss how our interests and advocacy efforts might benefit from the work that they do as well.

Our first meeting was with Sean Slade and David Griffith of ASCD to discuss the tenets of their whole child approach to education and their support and informational materials surrounding the Common Core State Standards. The five tenets for ASCD are:

• Health - each student enters school HEALTHY and learns about and practices a healthy lifestyle
• Safe - each student learns in an environment that is physically and emotionally SAFE for students and adults
• Engaged - each student is actively ENGAGED in learning and is connected to the school and broader community
• Supported - each student has access to personalized learning and is SUPPORTED by qualified, caring adults
• Challenged - each student is CHALLENGED academically and is prepared for success in college/employment

All have a focus on collaboration, coordination, and integration. And really, as parents and community members don't we want all of these things for our children in our schools as well? And how are we to refocus our education system back to these tenets when we seem so caught up in a system of school/student pass-fail? After talking with Sean and David, I believe that their goal is similar: how do we shift thinking of school administration towards creating a more open door policy so that parents are invited in as partners. Part of the appeal of ASCD is that regardless of whether you are a member or not, their policy and action alerts, as well as other resources such as webinars and white papers, are available to all. As parents we can participate by asking "Are your school and community delivering?" a survey that gives you a chance to assess your child's school which in turn can help facilitate a conversation. Another great tool is their interactive education map which showcases outstanding schools (and there are 74 examples, at least one from each state).

Felisa Hilber, Sean Slade, David Griffith, Myrdin Thompson

ASCD will be "relaunching" their map, providing more sites (and examples of "what works") as well as showcasing global success stories as well. We had a fantastic conversation with Sean and David and look forward to working with them in the months ahead as we all partner together for school, community, and most importantly, student success. 

By this time it was important for Felisa Hilbert, Mom Congress Oklahoma Delegate (2011), and I to stretch our legs and walk around the city. Fortunately our hotel, The Liason, Capitol Hill, is two blocks away from the capitol as well as the Smithsonian, so we didn't have to go very far to find "something" to do. And for a self-admitted edu-geek such as myself, that something meant: the Library of Congress to obtain a library card. 

Please note, a Library card IS NOT a souvenir. Really. 

After this we grabbed a quick lunch in the cafeteria under the Hart building (where several Senators have their offices) and then dashed back to the hotel to meet Mandy Grisham, Mom Congress Delegate Tennessee, 2011, and Rachel Liaserin (who joined us in November as proxy for Rebecca Levey, Mom Congress Delegate New York, 2011) so we could go meet with Hannah Jones of Center for Science in the Public Interest to talk about the recent discussions regarding pizza sauce as a vegetable and how the new regulations are now being reviewed at the White House. These changes will take place in the 2012-13 school year, but the next item of discussion will really be the competitive school meal rule and nutrition standards which will impact fundraisers during the school day and hopefully help to strengthen school wellness policies. One of our discussions focused on the use of Box Tops and Campbell's Labels as funding revenue for school groups. While all of us agreed that schools need the extra cash, the time, effort, and energy put forth to collect such items often far exceeds the monetary reward such collections bring. In addition, some of the foods attached to the bt and labels programs are often times expensive when compared to in-store brands or the items are the less healthy options.  Unless you have every family participating in such an endeavor (and there are some schools that do) the final totals for the year don't often amount to much. Certainly there are other avenues for obtaining funding for a school group project, such as a read/walk-a-thon, which support learning activities and wellness. Some school districts are in fact shifting policies towards "healthier" fundraising options and eliminating these types of collections (and sometimes competitions). The goal, of course, is that school wellness needs to be formed at a local level, through the school district and with parents/parent group members in collaboration with school staff. This would ensure that good policies are put into place which are supported by the entire school community. 

Felisa Hilbert, Mandy Grisham, Hannah Jones,
Myrdin Thompson, Rachel Liaserin in the CSIP offices

After our meeting with CSIP, it was time to sit down and reflect on all we had learned and discuss it over a fabulous meal of sushi and lo mein at the Buddha Bar! Then it was back to the hotel to prepare for Days 2 and 3: a tour of the White House, a meeting with the US Department of Education about family engagement projects in 2012, dinner with friends and Mom Congress supporters, and then a meeting with First Focus. All of that will be covered in part two...tomorrow!