By Okon Ekpenyong

Ohio’s First Lady Fran DeWine received the first-ever Crane Excellence in Early Childhood Award with two other recipients at the 2023 Symposium on Children “Getting Ready to Read.” Also, honored along with First Lady Fran DeWine were Rebecca Love and Dr. Monica Mitchell.

It honored the First Lady’s work in early childhood initiatives and her commitment to the education and well-being of young children in the state. DeWine’s passion for early childhood literacy has inspired her to work with Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library of Ohio.

Organizers of the event were the Crane Center for Early Childhood Research and Policy, a non-profit organization within the College of Education and Human Ecology at Ohio State University.

Their mission is to facilitate and promote collaborative research and scholarships that work to improve the learning and development of children from birth to age eight. Through their research, they strive to inform local, state, and national policy, as well as provide evidence-based practices to promote equitable access to early childhood education and care.

Meanwhile, the Ohio Imagination Library’s mission is to ensure that every Ohio child can have access to books, regardless of their family’s economic status. The First Lady is dedicated to improving literacy rates in the state and believes that books are the key to unlocking a child’s potential.

In Ohio alone, the program has provided over 391,381 children with age-appropriate books each month at no cost to their families, and this has enabled 59% of eligible children to get access to books and develop a love of reading.

With this year’s theme, Getting Ready to Read, the Crane Excellence in Early Childhood Award is a critical step in ensuring children develop a love of literacy and the skills to become lifelong readers.

To enhance literacy and encourage students and their families to gain knowledge through reading, the organization continues to work with various local and state libraries across the state, including Fairfield County Library and Columbus Metropolitan Library, both of which were attendees at this year’s event.

It was a powerful demonstration of the progress made in the early childhood field and the potential for further breakthroughs in the years to come. The awards were a testament to the hard work, dedication, and commitment of all those involved in improving the lives of Ohio’s youngest citizens.

Ohio’s First Lady Fran DeWine, Rebecca Love, and Dr. Monica Mitchell’s awards inspired the crowd and reminded them of the importance of work in early childhood education.

It was an inspiring reminder of the impact that dedication and hard work can have on the lives of children and their families. It was an inspiring moment that will hopefully encourage others to continue to strive for excellence in early childhood education.

Attendees of the Symposium come from a diverse range of backgrounds and roles. Researchers, practitioners, policymakers, educators, philanthropists, and parents share ideas, experiences, and expertise. Through the Symposium, they work on creating a collective impact that helps ensure all children have the best start to their development and education.

I had the pleasure of speaking with two other award recipients following the award ceremony: Rebecca Love, Director of Early Childhood Partnership at Franklin County Board of Developmental Disabilities, and Dr. Monica J. Mitchell, the Senior Director of Community Relations at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center.

The Opportunities for Ohioans with Disabilities also works in partnership with the Imagination Library of Ohio to ensure that all children receive reading material regardless of their socioeconomic or other circumstances.

Rebecca Love, an advocate for special education, shared her admiration for the Ohio First Lady Fran Dewine, who has been instrumental in providing literacy programs tailored to their needs, and she has been a strong advocate for these children and their families.

The award recognized their commitment to the field and tireless efforts to provide high-quality services to families and children. Both educators accepted the award with gratitude and humility, and they are proud to continue making a difference in the lives of so many.

Love and Dr. Mitchell noted that daily, they have had the fortune of supporting and managing some exceptional educators and specialists who are changing the lives of families and children.

“We have also been empowering parents to understand far more about how to be the best advocate possible for their kids, and we put a lot of emphasis on the potential; as parents, I recommend that you always strive to achieve the best practice for your child. Furthermore, you want to place them in an environment where they can showcase their best skills rather than putting them just anywhere”, said Monica Love.

Furthermore, Love stated that training their staff to understand the respect, sensitivity, and difficulties some educators or parents may be experiencing helps in conveying our standards and procedures to them.

Dr. Mitchell acknowledged her dedication to connecting local communities and families to evidence-based research focused on best practices for early childhood learning. Rebecca’s award honored her extensive work in developing and directing early childhood programs for children aged birth to 6, both with and without developmental disabilities.

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