Children's Alliance News

Have a Heart Day for Kids Day in the Seattle P-I

A feature story about the Lake Washington Girls Middle School in the Seattle P-I this week highlighted the students' participation in The Children's Alliance annual lobby day in Olympia, Have a Heart for Kids Day. All the students at this all girls private middle school came to the capitol to advocate for making school lunch better and more available to all kids. The trip reflects the school's focus on social justice. The article in Tuesday's P-I includes a photo essay. You can read the article, and see some great pictures of girls meeting the Governor and going on lobby visits.

Children's Alliance Celebrates 25 Years

Guests Leita Ovena, Jon Leveque, the first
Executive Director of the Children's Alliance, and
Kikora Dorsey, a former Board Member

The Children’s Alliance 25th anniversary celebration was a phenomenal success. It was a warm, heartening gathering of committed advocates for kids. It was a joyful celebration of 25 years of hard-won victories. And it was an inspiring call to action to recommit ourselves to the struggle for justice until every child is free from want, every child is safe and protected and every child has a real chance for success. And lastly, it was a generous outpouring of support that brought in more than $90,000 in donations for the Children’s Alliance’s work.

The Governor flew in directly from Spokane to share the evening with the Children’s Alliance. In her speech she honored the persistent and powerful work of the Children’s Alliance to put kids first in Washington.

Bill Bentley, CEO of the national VOICES for America’s Children organization painted a compelling picture of the urgent need for action for justice for all children, especially children of color and low-income children nationwide.

Great youth performers from the Northwest Girls Choir, Roosevelt Highschool Drumline and the Garfield High School Jazz Lab all contributed their talents to make the evening full of music.

A dozen students from the acclaimed Leschi Elementary School Choir brought down the house with their soulful rendition of “Who Will Speak for the Children?”, led by Choir Director Debbie Cavitt.

Dr. Ben Danielson, Medical Director of Odessa Brown Children’s Clinic and Board member of the Children’s Alliance, took the stage after the choir sang, but soon realized that the stage truly belonged to the little girl in the front row of the choir, who had discovered she could see herself on the giant video screen on the opposite wall of the ballroom. Her sly glances and dramatic poses rocked the house with laughter. Dr. Ben took it all with grace and his remarks still went straight to the heart of the work of the Children’s Alliance and appealed to each one present to give generously. And they did.

Many thanks are due to many people who made this event, and the organization it celebrated, possible. You’ll be thanked in many ways, but for now you know who you are, and we are grateful to you.

Visit the Children’s Alliance website to see pictures and videos from the event.  More are being posted daily. Share your story from the event! Just click the comments button which is just after the date, directly below this post.

Early Learning = Basic Education

Seventeen organizations, including the Children's Alliance, have issued a statement to the Washington State Joint Task Force on Basic Education Finance urging the members of the Task Force to include early learning in the revised definition of Basic Education.

"Washington State cannot ensure a basic education for all, let alone reach a higher goal, without ensuring that children gain the intellectual and social skills required for success in school prior to entering the K-12 system."

The statement details four shared principles developed by the stakeholders and includes a compelling, clear analysis of the role of early learning in creating an effective statewide system of basic education.

The state's Joint Task Force on Basic Education Finance is meeting in Olympia today and tomorrow to consider this input as they work to develop a new definition of basic education and a financing proposal.

For more information you can read the Stakeholder Statement Regarding Early Learning and Basic Education or contact Leslie Dozono, Children's Alliance Early Learning Policy Coordinator.