Office of Governor Gary Locke
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - January 6, 1999
Contact:  Governor's Communications Office, 360-902-4136

First Lady to host public forums in western Washington

OLYMPIA — First Lady Mona Lee Locke and Melinda French Gates, co-chairs of the Governor's Commission on Early Learning, will continue their series of public forums on early learning in two western Washington cities this month.

As co-chairs of the Governor's Commission on Early Learning, Locke and Gates will travel to Bellingham and Vancouver to get comments from parents on the issues surrounding early learning in youngest children.

"Giving a child the best environment for learning in the first three years of life is critical to brain function and development," Locke said. "We're trying to help parents learn to make the most of the first years of their children's lives by adding simple things to each day's activities. These public forums are a way for parents to have direct input to the Commission's work."

The Commission hosted public meetings in Spokane, Yakima and the Tri-Cities last fall.

The Governor's Commission on Early Learning brings together leaders in health, education, child care, business and government to critically examine the state's role in improving the earliest stages of learning for children from birth to age five.

The Commission's goal is to make sure every child in Washington goes to school prepared to succeed. In its work, the 25-member group will identify gaps in programs for children and parents, as well as raise the public's awareness of issues surrounding early learning in children.

The public forums will be held in:

- Bellingham, Jan. 14 at 6:30 p.m. at the Heiner Center Theater at Whatcom Community College, 237 W. Kellogg Road.
- Vancouver, Jan. 28 (location to be determined)

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