and finally . . .

Michael Kalinowski and Roger making big plans

Bruce and I meet with Lella Gandini, Dex and Ellen Hall, Sergio and Amelia Gambetti--of course in an Italian restaurant

Charlotte Watts and the Peabody ducks finish this report with a splash

There is more!

Discussions about men in ECE with Bryan Nelson and Frances Carlson

We don't know what Paul Axtell and Carol Shattuck were talking about

Bob Siegel and WF Multi-Site and article conversations

Donna Rafanello and Sandra Duncan meeting about Exchange articles, writing mentoring and Out of the Box Kits

Diane Levin about peace and upcoming projects

The week in Miami at NAEYC was filled with meetings and events. Here are some photos to share my experiences–just in case you missed it!

Overview

Exchange Center Makeover Session

Trends Breakfast

Exchange and Community Playthings Party

Ellen Hall and Pam Boulton meeting about Rights of Children WF

Leslie Falconer meeting about World Forum

Friday I spent time with Christa Griest and Martha Vibbert in Cambridge, Massachusetts, to talk about the World Forum Working Group: Voices of Hope for Children Impacted by HIV/AIDS and Global Leaders for Young Children. So much of our work is done long distance, mostly through e-mail; so it’s a treasured time to be with people in person. Martha plays a leadership role in VOH and shared some insights from conversations in Honolulu. As we work to sustain this important group and develop and deepen the work, one of the critical issues we are dealing with is that people at the forefront of this work are stretched for their time and attention. Often they are people who give time and attention to many. So we need help thinking of creative ways of supporting involvement without adding to burdens. This is true of many in the community that is the World Forum.

As Global Leaders for Young Children experiments with new models of work, currently focusing on regional efforts, Christa and I, along with Roger, will be supporting and strengthening communication and information-sharing.

And please, if you met Michael Kelly either in Montreal or Honolulu at World Forums, or elsewhere, please send him a greeting as he has been going through some health challenges and I’m guessing would like to hear from you. Michael Kelly

Yesterday I was included in the First Day Celebration at The Campagna Center in Alexandria, Virginia. The celebration was one of hundreds across the country, focused on the children and families who are part of Head Start and Early Head Start programs. Board, local politicians, families and staff shared stories about this special center, one of the first Head Start programs. Jacqueline Jones, Senior Advisory on Early Learning to the Secretary of Education talked and read to the children and gave us an interview. Yasmina Vinci, National Head Start Association Executive Director, was there for the event and helped coordinate my participation. The best part, of course, was the children. I was trying for a photo of a mother, child, teacher and another child really just put himself in the photo. Then another came by and the mother included him, much to the dismay and subsequent pout of her own son. It kind of went downhill from there.