Vote Kids First

Gubernatorial candidates will have a lot on their plates: economic recovery, unemployment, transportation, health care, education, taxes – there's really no end to the "To Do" list facing our next governor.

But, in the midst of all the campaign chaos, one population needs to remain a priority come Election Day: children. Kids can't vote, so those of us who can need to ensure children's issues don't take a back seat to the usual politics.

Because it will be the new governor and his administration setting the agenda for 2011 and beyond, your vote - and your voice - will send an important message to Pennsylvania's next governor about the importance of PA's early learning programs, including Pre-K Counts, Head Start and child care.

Decades of research shows that early learning makes a difference and provides a strong return on investment. And in today's weakened economy, it makes far more sense to "frontload" the system to assure success, rather than "backload" it to compensate for failure.

I urge my fellow voters to join First Steps Pennsylvania, a statewide non-partisan campaign committed to making early childhood education a priority issue during the gubernatorial election as well as a continued focus of the next state administration.

By joining First Steps PA – either as an organization or an individual – you have the opportunity to tell the next governor how important high-quality early childhood education is to you, your children, your families, or your groups and communities.

But before we can communicate that message to gubernatorial candidates, the First Step is to join the campaign! The stronger we are, the louder we are, and the more clout we carry with candidates and the media.

Go to www.firststepspa.org to join or endorse the First Steps PA Campaign

Joan L. Benso is president and CEO, PA Partnerships for Children