Blog | March 4, 2019

Members Visit Washington State Capitol to Promote Early Learning and Afterschool Programs

Mission: Readiness and ReadyNation members meet with key lawmakers to discuss programs important for state's economy and national security

On February 28, Mission: Readiness member Rear Admiral (Ret.) Eleanor Valentin and ReadyNation member David Graybill met with legislators at the Washington State Capitol in Olympia to discuss the importance of the Early Childhood Education and Assistance Program (ECEAP) and expanded learning opportunities to build Washington’s future workforce and ensure our national security.

Sixty-nine percent of young adults ages 17-24 in Washington do not qualify for the military, primarily due to lack of education, obesity, involvement in crime, and/or drug abuse. Both military and civilian careers require proficiency in reading, writing, and math, as well as “executive function” skills like communication and problem solving.

If we do not address such problems early on in children’s lives, the nation risks shortages of qualified recruits and our state’s employers will face an ongoing “skills gap.”

Research shows if we invest early in proven, high-quality programs like ECEAP, children will be more ready for kindergarten and have greater success throughout their K-12 experience. Additionally, when youth and older students have more access to high-quality expanded youth opportunities in the afterschool hours and over the summer, they are less likely to fall behind.

Mission: Readiness & ReadyNation Washington Director Kristin Wiggins, Mission: Readiness member Rear Admiral (Ret.) Eleanor Valentin and ReadyNation member David Graybill met with Washington State Rep. Mari Leavitt, a former ECEAP administrator, to thank her for her commitment to ensuring all kids are ready to succeed in school.
ReadyNation member David Graybill and Mission: Readiness member Rear Admiral (Ret.) Eleanor Valentin met with Washington State Rep. Chris Corry to discuss the importance of investments in ECEAP and expanded learning opportunities.
Rear Admiral (Ret.) Eleanor Valentin thanked Washington State Rep. Tana Senn for her leadership on behalf of our youngest learners as Chair of the Human Services & Early Learning Committee.
Rear Admiral (Ret.) Eleanor Valentin met with Washington State Rep. Brad Klippert to discuss the importance of investments in #ECEAP and expanded learning opportunities and to thank him for his service in the National Guard and law enforcement.
Rear Admiral (Ret.) Eleanor Valentin met with Washington State Rep. Chris Gildon to discuss the importance of investments in ECEAP and to thank him for his service in the U.S. Army.
ear Admiral (Ret.) Eleanor Valentin met with Washington State Rep. Debra Lekanoff to discuss the importance of investments in ECEAP and expanded learning opportunities.
Rear Admiral (Ret.) Eleanor Valentin met with Washington State Rep. Cindy Ryu to discuss the importance of investments in expanded learning opportunities, and to thank her for her leadership as Chair of the Veterans Committee.
Rear Admiral (Ret.) Eleanor Valentin met with Ruth Kagi, former Washington State Representative and Chair of the House Early Learning Committee, to discuss ECEAP and to thank her for 20 years of service in the legislature and now as an advocate.
Mission: Readiness & ReadyNation Washington Director Kristin Wiggins and Rear Admiral (Ret.) Eleanor Valentin thanked Washington State Rep. Kristine Reeves for her hard work to ensure working families have access to affordable, high-quality early learning, and for her long standing commitment to supporting veterans.
Rear Admiral (Ret.) Eleanor Valentin met yesterday with Washington State Sen. Hans Zeiger, former Chair of the Early Learning & K-12 Education Committee, to thank him for his long standing efforts to support our youngest learners, and to share our current priorities for ECEAP.