For Immediate Release
Office of Mrs. Bush
June 10, 2002
Closing Remarks by Mrs. Bush at Early Childhood Cognitive Development Summit - Boise
Boise, Idaho
As delivered.
Thank you very much. Governor and Mrs. Kempthorne, thank you for
hosting this summit.
Mrs. Leavitt, Mrs. Gerringer, distinguished guests..and I must say,
this is a very distinguished group - you represent state education
agencies, school districts, the university community, head start and
other early childhood programs, corporations and foundations -- thank
you for being here for this important discussion about America's
children and their future.
President Bush and I and all Americans want our schools to do a
good job of educating children; we want our teachers to teach them
well; and we want children to learn well.
As you've just heard, years of research in early childhood
cognitive development tells us what we can do to make sure children are
ready to read and learn when then enter school.
Last July I hosted the White House Summit on Early Childhood
Cognitive Development.
We heard from some of America's most respected and innovative
researchers in the field of cognitive development, many of whom are
here today, and from people who've put that research to work and have
seen great results.
Because of nationwide interest in early childhood development,
several participants from the White House Summit suggested that I take
the show on the road, so to speak.
So, we have hosted regional summits in Ohio and Arkansas, and this,
of course, is the third regional summit.
The presenters have given you a great deal of information today
with one central theme, and that is: the first five years of life are a
critical time for children to develop the physical, emotional, social,
and cognitive skills they will need for the rest of their lives.
Infants and toddlers need parents and caregivers who understand the
importance of these early years.
If we take the time to talk to and listen to children -- to read
with them, to surround them with books, and to help them put names on
things in their environment -- then we will help establish the skills,
knowledge, and confidence that will help them learn to read and succeed
in school.
Children do not automatically learn to read - they need help and
practice.
Moms, dads, grandparents - all those who care for a young child at
some point during the day -- need to know what they can do to enhance
children's language skills and prepare them for success in school.
A new series of magazines for parents and caregivers called
"Healthy Start, Grow Smart" is designed to do just that.
This monthly guide will be published in both English and Spanish
and will be available to parents every month during their baby's first
year of life.
These are two of the magazines, for newborns and one-month-old
babies, and they're available for all of you today. These magazines
will provide valuable and age-appropriate information about health,
safety, nutritional needs, and early cognitive development that has
been proven to help babies thrive.
Grants from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services will
be made available to states to mail these magazines to mothers with
newborns who are receiving Medicaid services.
You can also find these on the White House website at
www.whitehouse.gov/firstlady.
Today's event gives me the chance to thank two of the editors of
the magazine - Dr. Susan Landry and Dr. Craig Ramey.
Some parents and caregivers may not realize how important it is to
make time for language and literacy building activities.
They may think that is the job of the pre-schools and early
childhood centers, or that television is a good substitute.
Children's television programs can enhance, but not replace early
learning activities. Educational shows like "Between the Lions" or Mr.
Rogers' Neighborhood are merely a starting point for further education
once the television is turned off.
I support PBS's new "Designated Reader" campaign that will
encourage millions of parents and caring adults to read to young
children every day.
Many thanks to those from PBS who are here today for supporting
early childhood education.
We must also close the gap between the best research and current
practices in our Head Start and other pre-school programs.
Our early childhood educators deserve training based on the latest
research proven to help prepare children for success in school.
We know what works. And as you heard from Dr. Landry we are
bringing this information to early childhood educators across the
country.
The Early Reading First part of the No Child Left Behind Act,
passed overwhelmingly by Congress and signed into law by President
Bush, includes funds to train early childhood educators so they can
incorporate into daily activities pre-reading and language skill
development for young children.
Journalist David Shribman spent a year asking people about the role
teachers played in their lives.
The often humorous and heart-warming answers were compiled into a
book titled, "I Remember my Teacher."
A superintendent of schools in Concord, New Hampshire, said:
"I remember Miss Gray. She taught first grade in North Quincy,
Massachusetts. I remember her with graying hair, wearing gray, and
looking gray. But I remember one thing: She taught me how to read."
While we face a challenge of making sure children are ready to
learn to read when they start school, this challenge is not
insurmountable.
By working together, we can make sure that parents, early childhood
teachers, and other caring adults have the skills and information to
help their children succeed.
A child's success is not a matter of chance but a matter of choice
- choices that we as adults make for our young children and choices
that they make for themselves later in life. Thank you for choosing to
be here today and for working with us to ensure no child is left
behind.
I encourage you to use the information you heard and the contacts
you made to help enlist parents, educators, physicians, child care
providers, and others in your communities to make a difference in the
education of our young children.
Many thanks to our hosts and sponsors, and thanks especially to our
distinguished presenters for being here.
Thank you.
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