Edison State, Groundwork Ohio, Child Care Choices to Host Roadshow Listening Tour

Edison State Community College, Groundwork Ohio, and Child Care Choices are partnering to host a Roadshow Listening Tour session on Friday, May 17, 2024. The event will take place from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Robinson Theater at Edison State's Piqua Campus.

Held in cooperation with the West Central Ohio Regional Education Partnership (WCOREP), the community conversation will engage families, early childhood professionals, maternal health experts, local government officials, and statewide policymakers about the challenges facing Ohio's youngest. A panel of regional experts will discuss the unique early childhood and maternal health challenges facing communities in Miami, Darke, Preble, and Shelby counties.

Moderated by David Larson, Miami County Educational Service Center, the panel will include:

• Julie Ehemann, Shelby County Commissioner
• Deb Frazier, Center Director at Greene Street Daycare and Preschool
• Karin Somers, Early Childhood Director at CORS Head Start
• Trish Wackler, Chief Operating Officer and Chief Nursing Officer at Premier Health

Event hosts invite commissioners, early childhood and maternal health experts, the Department of Childhood and Youth, and community members to attend.

Following the panel discussion, family advocates can participate in the LORE Storytelling project from 1 to 2:30 p.m. hosted by Te'Jal Cartwright, owner and story coach at LORE. During this professional workshop, participants will learn strategic storytelling methods tailored to influence policymakers toward beneficial legislative reforms, explore the historical roots of storytelling and its modern applications within advocacy, and gain practical insights and techniques to use storytelling to drive policy change and societal improvement.

The event is free to attend. RSVP by visiting www.groundworkohio.org/roadshow. Learn more about WCOREP at www.edisonohio.edu/WCOREP.