Holly Barnes Higgins
Office 202.862.9863
Mobile 202.834.6846
hhiggins@preknow.org

(Washington, DC) – Members of Congress representing Iowa, New York and Vermont today recognized pre-kindergarten advocates from their respective states for their exceptional pre-k leadership at the state level. Each award recipient was instrumental in securing significant new legislation and state dollars for voluntary, high-quality pre-k this year. In conjunction with Pre-K Now, a Washington D.C.-based public education and advocacy organization, the following Members presented the advocate or advocacy group with a 2007 Pre-K Champion Award:

• Representative David Loebsack (D-IA) recognized the Iowa Child and Family Policy Center's Charlie Bruner and Sheila Hansen;
• Representative Steve Israel (D-NY), Representative Gregory Meeks (D-NY), and Representative Carolyn Maloney (D-NY) honored Winning Beginning New York, represented by Nancy Kolben and Karen Schimke, and Docs for Tots, represented by Dr. Dina Lieser; and
• Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) recognized Lisa Ventriss of the Vermont Business Roundtable and long-time advocate, Mary Barrosse Schwartz.

Collectively, these champions' effective activism on behalf of their state's youngest learners contributed to the passage of legislation that supports greater access to and increased funding for voluntary, high-quality pre-k.

"Because of visionaries and organizations like these, more of our country's children will enter school prepared to learn and thrive, in school and in life," said Libby Doggett, executive director of Pre-K Now. "We congratulate these Champions for effectively educated policy makers and the general public in their respective states about the incredible ways pre-k benefits children and ultimately, benefits us all."

Pre-K Now collaborates with state advocates and policymakers to lead a movement for high-quality pre¬kindergarten for all three and four year olds. The following funders contribute to making this important work possible: The Pew Charitable Trusts, the David and Lucile Packard Foundation, the McCormick Tribune Foundation, RGK Foundation, the Foundation for Child Development, CityBridge Foundation, and the Schumann Fund for New Jersey.

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