Blog | September 14, 2022

Mission: Readiness Ohio "Brass in the Class" Child Care Reading Event

Congressman Carey and General LaPrise Participate in Mission: Readiness Brass in the Class Child Care Reading Event

On Monday, September 12th, Mission: Readiness Ohio held a “Brass in the Class” child care reading event hosted by Brigadier General (Ret.) William LaPrise, U.S. Army. The event also featured Congressman Mike Carey and took place at Mandy’s Daycare of London in London, Ohio.

The purpose of the event was to highlight the importance of nurturing child care programs for infants, toddlers, and children in preparing youngsters to succeed in school and in life.

“A full 71 percent of young adults ages 17 to 24 fail to qualify for military service. The top reasons so many young adults are ineligible for service include lack of education and the inability to pass the basic entrance examination, criminality and drug use, and lack of physical fitness. As a retired brigadier general in the United States Army, I find this unacceptable, and I see it as a significant, long-term national security risk.“ said Brigadier General (Ret.) William LaPrise. “In my civilian career, I served for over 30 years in the Miamisburg, Ohio School District. My varied experience working with school-aged children strongly suggests to me that we cannot wait until a child is in the upper grades to address academic challenges. The time to ensure all children have the best chance to succeed in life is the first five years.”

Recently Ohio has made historic investments in child care and pre-kindergarten programs. These dollars support working families by ensuring their children have a safe, nurturing program to attend while they are at work, they also serve to ensure that children meet their developmental milestones so they can succeed in school and in life. Additional funds are needed to bring these programs to scale throughout Ohio.

“I grew up in rural Ohio and served in the Ohio Army National Guard. I understand how important an educated, healthy and strong military is to meeting the demands of today’s high-tech military. Education is key. A strong start in life builds the bedrock of our nation in the future.” said Representative Carey, a member of the House Budget and House Science, Space and Technology Committees.

See photos from the event below:

  • Congressman Carey and General LaPrise
  • Congressman Carey and General LaPrise

Note: the purpose of this event was to raise awareness about the need for investments in high-quality early childhood supports. It did not constitute an endorsement of any candidate. Mission: Readiness welcomes the support of lawmakers of both parties to help achieve goals that will strengthen the next generation.

Read More About

  1. Child Care
  2. Early Learning

States

  1. Ohio*