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Photograph courtesy of Marla Olszewski
Advocating: Rep. Mike Honda meets children at the Even Start Family Learning Center.
U.S. Representative Mike Honda lends support to city's Even Start
By Moryt Milo
With President George Bush threatening to cut 20 percent of the Even Start program during fiscal year 2003, program director Gina Phi asked U.S. Rep. Mike Honda, D-San Jose, to visit the Even Start Family Learning Center at Rosemary Elementary School in Campbell.
Knowing that Honda opposes budget cuts to the program, Phi wanted the congressman to see first-hand how these programs benefit low-income families.
"I wanted Congressman Honda to have an opportunity to tour the center, meet the parents, visit with their children and see how important it is not to reduce funding," Phi said.
The Even Start program, which began eight years ago at Rosemary Elementary, is federally funded and supports low-income families by integrating early childhood education, parenting and adult education into a unified program designed to break the cycle of intergenerational poverty and illiteracy, program supporters said.
Honda spent an hour at the center April 4, as Phi told him that without Even Start's funding for children 0-3 years old, the parents participating in the program would be forced to put off their education, which would reduce their chances of finding jobs and sideline their ability to improve family quality of life.
"I want to tell you how proud I am of all these parents," Phi said to Honda. "They have made a huge commitment. Some put in 24 hours during the week and this commitment is what brings about a positive change in their families."
Honda toured the infant-toddler and preschool facilities. He meet with parents in the adult education classes and he was impressed by their overall commitment to themselves and their families.
"I met one woman who's only been in the [United States] four months and already speaks good English," he told the parents gathered to support the program. "I met some parents who have been here four years and are very dedicated to the program. We will do everything we can to not cut [funding for] the program."
He told the audience that their testimony played an important part in convincing the president to keep the program intact.
Even Start parents presented Honda with a book of hand-written letters, explaining how the program benefited their families and their children.
"The president made a promise to leave no child behind," Honda said. "We want to keep it that way."
Phi also told the parents that President Bush wants to fund programs that can be proven successful with scientific data. The center will find ways to prove that the program is successful, she said
Rosemary kindergarten teacher Lisa Iannucci came to lend her support and told the group and Honda that the program makes a huge difference in kindergarten readiness.
"The children who come out of the Even Start program are so much more prepared, " she said.
After listening to many of the parents talk about how the program empowered their parenting skills, Honda suggested the group start a letter-writing campaign.
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Campbell, California
