Weekly Digest: February 25, 2010

Discovery + Alliance: Partnership Success Stories

Taking part in Alliance events has helped a number of Discovery Communities learn how to advocate and become quite successful at it.

Written by Jessica Ciparelli, Communications Specialist, CT Early Childhood Alliance
Published in September, 2009

Whether it's taking part in legislative tours of early childhood learning centers, events at the Capitol to highlight early care and education, or writing a simple letter to the editor, some Discovery communities are learning how to advocate and have been quite successful at it.

Karen Edelson, director of the town of Enfield Child Development Center, conducted a legislative tour prior to the November 2008 election with Sen. John Kissel and his Democratic challenger, George Colli.

“I felt that the tours were very helpful because I really had the opportunity to explain what we were all about. Plus, they were able to ask specific questions about what our needs were,” said Edelson.

These tours were set up through the Alliance's Director of Advocacy and Outreach, Samantha Dynowski.

And the tours aren't the only thing the Enfield Discovery Community (KITE – Key Initiative to Early Education) has taken part in, said Amy Morales, family resource coordinator.

To read the rest of this article, visit the Alliance website at http://earlychildhoodalliance.com/node/4943

Early Childhood Alliance Advocacy Day: March 3

The Alliance will be hosting Advocacy Day 2010 on March 3, from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. in Room 310 (Old Judiciary Room) at the Capitol. Some of the legislators who attend the session will read to children, as a tie-in to “Read Across America Day."  The Alliance is looking forward to a large crowd of early care advocates and children at the Capitol building that day.

To let the Alliance know you are attending, please RSVP using the form on the Alliance website at http://www.earlychildhoodalliance.com/civicrm/event/info?reset=1&id=210.   If you have a program and plan to bring your students, please contact Samantha Dynowski at dynowski.ceca@gmail.com.

The snow date for this event is March 10.

CT Parent Power Leadership Training

This weeklong leadership training opportunity will take place in Meriden, Connecticut from Sunday, March 21, 2010 to Friday, March 26, 2010. The non-partisan training will be attended by parent leaders, early childhood advocates, local elected officials, clergy and faith leaders, social justice advocates and organizational staff who want to experience the training that Barack Obama taught as a community organizer and the training that was used in some of the Camp Obama programs. This training will allow participants to reflect upon their experiences and what it means to be a leader in the public arena. Participants will engage with each other in a learning community that emphasizes self-reflection, introspection and mutual inquiry. By the end of the week, participants will develop a personal plan of action for becoming a more effective and powerful person.

COST: The tuition plus room and board for this six-day residential training is $550 for affiliates and qualified applicants; $1100 per participant who is from a non-affiliated group. (If you are interested in finding out more about applying at the "affiliated" rate please call Amy Thompson @ 203-886-6432.)

TO REGISTER: Visit the CT Parent Power website at http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/38/t/6530/p/salsa/event/common/public/?event_KEY=444