Photos of reception for 'Illuminate! Bringing My Culture to Light'

Over on our blog for the Parent Leadership Training Institute (PLTI), you'll find a gallery of photos taken at the state Capitol on Thursday night, at a reception for "Illuminate! Bringing My Culture to Light," an exhibit of children's artwork from around the world. Danbury PLTI grad Miguel Barreto engineered the exhibit in his capacity as director of operations for Creative Commons, a nonprofit organization based in Norwalk. The exhibit can be seen throughout December in the concourse that connects the Capitol to the Legislative Office Building.

Need to catch up on the news?

Here's this week's What We're Reading.

Obesity resource added

The Obesity section of our website now includes a link to Salud America! A resource of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) Research Network to Prevent Obesity Among Latino Children, Salud America! promotes policies and environmental changes that can help reverse the Latino childhood obesity epidemic.

This week's 'What We're Reading' newsletter

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Request for proposals (RFP) issued for organizations interested in conducting parent leadership training

The State Education Resource Center (SERC) and the Connecticut Parent Information and Resource Center (CT PIRC) "are seeking submission of written proposals, on a competitive basis, from qualified organizations to conduct parent leadership training using one or more parent leadership training model curricula, such as The Parent Leadership Training Institute (PLTI), Parents Supporting Educational Excellence (Parents SEE), People Empowering People (PEP) and Voices for Families. The ultimate goal is to train parents, grandparents, foster parents, and others to become skilled advocates and strong voices for children at the local, state, or national level. Applicants must meet all requirements of the parent leadership training curriculum prior to submission."

Download the RFP here.

Proposals are due September 16, 2013, no later than 2:30 p.m.

Learn more about PLTI and Parents SEE here.

2012 grad launches Facebook page for parent leaders

Congratulations to 2012 PLTI graduate Kelly Nealy of West Haven on the launch of her Facebook page, The Parent Leader. Kelly hopes to encourage parental involvement by sharing information on "education, healthcare, government, communities, volunteer opportunities, and events related to children and communities in the New Haven County area" as well as on the state level. Be sure to "like" her!

Kelly has also written a poem inspired by her PLTI experience:

To all who think your voice won't be heard
I will tell you it won't if you don't say a word
There's no mountain too small or too big you can't climb
Nothing is ever a waste of your time
Our children are our future and we need to fight
For anything and everything we feel is right
With each little step you are willing to take
You help make the world a better place
Every voice makes a difference so let others hear
Your concerns, your worries, your story, your fears
Reach for the stars even the ones you can't see
Be The Parent Leader you know you can be. 

Our response to Gov. Malloy's plan to consolidate commissions

In the proposed budget he submitted to the legislature on February 6, Governor Dannel Malloy called for consolidating five legislative commissions—including the Commission on Children—into one. Commission on Children Executive Director Elaine Zimmerman responded by pointing out that the Commission has brought $1.45 into various community programs for every dollar invested in it. Read the rest of her statement here

What We're Reading

This week's issue is dominated by the legislature's public hearings on the Newtown school shootings.

As President Obama releases gun violence plan, petition drive begins for a national Commission on Children

Before wading into the oceans of commentary, pro and con, on President Obama's plan to curb gun violence, it might be a good idea to read the plan itself (PDF). Yes, it's 15 pages, but it's a fast 15.

Also today, Save the Children and several other organizations launched an online petition that asks President Obama to create a national Commission on Children. "We cannot stand by and let violence, poverty and other threats become pervasive parts of childhood in America," the petition says. "We need everyone at the table for a national conversation to find bold, new ideas."

Meanwhile, we've finally fixed the search engine of our website! If you come across anything else on the site that needs attention, please alert webmaster Kevin Flood at kevin.flood@cga.ct.gov.