Advocates call on business community to invest more in education

The keynote speaker at an Oshkosh economic summit on Friday said the future of the country is linked to the education of children, and investing resources into pre-kindergarten programs has a higher payback than any other level of schooling.

"The larger point I'm making is about upfront investment. You're business people. You know about return on investment. I'm talking about investment in higher quality childcare. I'm talking about investment in knowledgeable parenting," said David Lawrence, president of the Early Childhood Initiative Foundation in Florida and former publisher of the Miami Herald.

Friday's summit at the Oshkosh Convention Center aimed to open a dialogue between local businesses and service agencies about early learning.

"You can't succeed with what I'm talking about unless you have a stunning and important public awareness program," Lawrence said in response to a question by State Rep. Gordon Hintz, D-Oshkosh, about also getting families involved. "I guarantee you almost all parents deeply love their children and would like to do right by them, but if you don't know what to do, then you won't do it."

About 80 percent of eligible children in Oshkosh attend four-year-old kindergarten through the Oshkosh Area School District. The Ready 4 Learning program is offered at several local child care centers to improve access.

Other agencies - including the Oshkosh Public Library, Head Start and United Way, also provide programming and services to young children.

They called on the business community to be advocates for their work, vocally and financially.

Randy Knutson, information technology director for Bemis Company, made a call-to-action statement at the end of the summit urging his peers to talk about ways they can help.

"There's nothing more important to me than the education of my (three) children," Knutson said. "The education they received from Webster Stanley (elementary and middle school), and even before that in the school district's early learning program, has built their foundation and is a large reason for their success in life."

Those at the summit were invited to a follow up meeting on Nov. 5 to talk about specific actions the community can take.

The summit was sponsored by the Early Learning Collaboration Council of Oshkosh, Celebrate Children Foundation, Cooperative Educational Service Agency 6, Oshkosh Area Community Foundation, Oshkosh school district, Oshkosh Area United Way, Oshkosh Public Library and Head Start.

— Adam Rodewald: (920) 426-6632 or arodewal@thenorthwestern.com

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