“Let us remember this as the day we got started,” said Councilmember Hans Riemer to a packed Discovery Communications auditorium on November 17. Over two hundred business and community leaders gathered for the 6th Annual Community Symposium to learn about Montgomery Moving Forward’s (MMF) new focus: Early Care and Education.
The Symposium explored the economic imperative for Early Care and Education. Indeed, investment in early childhood education yields a return of at least 3:1. Sara Watson, Global Director, Ready Nation, one of the Symposium presenters, noted that investing in Early Childhood is the most effective proven driver of economic growth in MD, United States, and the world.
Mike Chesser, Chairman Emeritus and Former CEO Great Plains Energy spoke about brain research that demonstrates the impact of high quality early care and education. Brain scans of children who had quality early care and education had more synapses than children who did not. Such research helped convince Mr. Chesser of the need to invest early to give all children the best start in school and thereby a better chance in life.
Montgomery County Public Schools Superintendent Jack Smith spoke of the opportunity gap that exists in Montgomery County, where 40% of children receive Free or Reduced Price Meals, and 30% are English Language Learners. Rather than calling it an “achievement gap”—it is an “opportunity gap” because some children are not given the same opportunities to reach their best potential. Dr. Smith expressed his strong commitment to actively partner with MMF’s effort to address the early care and education needs of Montgomery County’s children.
Two panels of experts, facilitated by Kathleen Matthews, Former Executive, Marriott International and Anchor WJLA-TV rounded out the morning. In her remarks as a panel participant, DeRionne Pollard, President of Montgomery College said, “there is a quote that resonates with me, ‘A true society will be evaluated by how it treats its least, its last, and it’s littlest.'”