Gov. Timothy Kaine (D) met with more than 140 business, education, government and other community leaders on Tuesday, Sept. 25 to stress the importance of preparing children to succeed in school before they start kindergarten.
Kaine noted that “children who receive high quality early education … are more likely to do well in school, go on to attain a post-secondary degree, are more likely to have a productive job and more likely to become homeowners … [they] are less likely to repeat a grade, drop out of school … or have problems with teenage pregnancy.â€
Kaine made his keynote remarks at Fairfax Futures’ Community Leadership Forum on School Readiness, an event sponsored by Fairfax Futures’ School Readiness Network business partner, Capital One.
“Children’s quality education is the key to the continued success of our company and the region’s economy,†said Katherine Busser, executive vice president at Capital One. “We at Capital One understand the importance of partnering with Fairfax Futures to address this important issue with local leaders.â€
Vera Steiner Blore, Fairfax Futures executive director, said “research shows that most children who start kindergarten behind their peers never catch up.â€
“Capital One is helping Fairfax Futures lay the foundation for children's success in school and in our future workforce,†added Blore.
Fairfax Futures is a non-profit organization dedicated to ensuring that Fairfax County’s youngest children are prepared to succeed in school, and in life. For more information, visit www.fairfax-futures.org. Capital One supports early childhood literacy and academic enrichment programs. Capital One’s philanthropic and in-kind support helps to ensure that children in low- to moderate-income families have access to the educational resources and opportunities they need to build a better future. For more information, visit www.capitalone.com.