Pennsylvania made a promise to our children and we are keeping it. The promise is to work together so all children can be safe, healthy, eager to learn, and ready to succeed in school.

Nearly ten thousand Pennsylvanians have signed the PA Promise declaration stating this belief. Through the recent state budget impasse thousands of parents, early learning professionals and community members told their story about how publicly funded early learning programs benefit children. Then legislators and the governor responded by allocating sufficient funds to maintain these programs without cuts. For our children, our future…thank you.

Locally Our Children, Our Future, an early childhood community engagement initiative coordinates efforts to keep the promise. On Oct. 17 it sponsored a child care leadership brunch, Building Connections for Children.

Thirty two child care center directors and owners/operators of home-based child care gathered at Grace Chapel Community Church to learn about community resources that can help them improve their service to children and families. Child care sites were recognized for their voluntary participation in the Keystone STARS quality initiative.

A featured speaker was Robert G. Kochems, District Attorney of Mercer County. Kochems discussed how investment in quality early learning experiences results in fewer children becoming violent or delinquent teens and adult criminals. He shared research that shows every dollar invested in quality early education can return up to $17 in reduced special education, crime, and welfare costs.

Jodi Askins, Executive Director or the Pennsylvania Association for the Education of Young Children also addressed the audience. Ms. Askins brought a state and national perspective when she discusses the progress Pennsylvania has made in building an early childhood education system. She encouraged child care leaders to continue building professional relationships as that is how to construct a coordinated early care and learning system that responds to the needs of young children.

On Oct. 19 Mercer County gained representation on Gov. Ed Rendell’s Early Learning Investment Commission when Joseph George, President of the Joy Cone Company of Hermitage was sworn in as a member. Commission members act as ambassadors for early education, speaking at local events, sharing information on quality early education with their employees, and lending their voice in support of public investment for early education.

One of George’s first official duties was to host the Mercer County Economic Summit on Early Childhood Investments on Friday at the Avalon at Buhl Park, Sharon.

You can learn all about Pennsylvania’s Promise for Children at www.papromiseforchildren.com. I invite you to join us in celebrating the first PA Promise for Children Week, Nov. 8 – 14, 2009. Learn more about the early education programs in your community, get involved in our community engagement initiative, and tell your story. You can do it all on the PA Promise website.

Frasier B. Zahniser is family living/4-H youth development agent with Mercer County Cooperative Extension.