Southwest Ohio AEYC attended this year’s Vote for Ohio Kids Leadership Forum held on on Thursday, October 6, 2022. The event celebrated educators and those contributing to the early education journey for young children in Montgomery County.

Vote for Ohio Kids is a statewide effort dedicated to ensuring Ohio’s policymakers commit to making children’s early education and health a top priority. This initiative is led jointly by Groundwork Ohio, the Ohio Children’s Hospital Association, and Ohio Excels in partnership with business, healthcare, and early education leaders as well as child advocates from around the state. Southwest Ohio AEYC is a member of the Vote for Ohio Kids coalition: a robust group of business, healthcare, and early education leaders as well as child advocates who are driving a powerful agenda that puts Ohio kids front and center.

The Vote for Ohio Kids Leadership Forum: Moving from Crisis to Prevention brought together hundreds of business, health care, education, and child advocacy leaders—along with the two candidates for Ohio governor—to discuss the issues that matter the most to our future. The event focused on what we are hearing from families, professionals, clinicians, elected officials, and system leaders. Throughout the day, attendees heard a strong case for investing in our kids during the earliest years of life, as well as both gubernatorial candidates’ plans for supporting the well-being and healthy development of Ohio’s children.

The event was attended by Ross “Chad” Nunamaker, Southwest Ohio AEYC Executive Director, as well as several members of the Southwest Ohio AEYC board, including: Kathy Benkert, Cincinnati Regional Chair; Isabella “Bella” Frueh, Equity Co-Chair; Kim Ginn, Board Member; Rachel Konerman, Public Policy Chair; Judith Santmire, Board Member; and Kaleena Wiseman, Columbus Regional Chair. Members of the board were also briefly interviewed by WBNS-TV. Watch the WBNS-TV news report here. The event was also covered by Dayton Daily News, Columbus Dispatch, and Ohio Capital Journal.

Thank you to Groundwork Ohio, the Ohio Children’s Hospital Association, and Ohio Excels for an engaging event!