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Congress on Children
Wednesday, September 23, 2005
University of the Incarnate Word
SKYROOM
International Conference Center

Program

Check-in
8:00 to 8:30 am

Marian Sokol, PhD
VOICES FOR CHILDREN Founder and Board Member
President, First Candle/SIDS Alliance

Louis Agnese, PhD
President, University of the Incarnate Word

Cam Messina
Executive Director, VOICES FOR CHILDREN

Introduction
Victor Azios
Site Leader, Making Connections San Antonio

Speaker
James J. Heckman, PhD
Henry Schultz Distinguished Service Professor of Economics
University of Chicago
Presentation

Break

Introduction
Ralph Bender
VOICES FOR CHILDREN Board Member

Moderator
Howard Peak
SBC Telecommunications, Inc.

Panelists Brief Presentations
Senator Jeff Wentworth, District 25
Senator Leticia Van de Putte, District 26
Representative Robert Puente, District 119
Representative Ruth Jones McClendon, District 120
Representative Carlos Uresti, District 118
Representative Michael Villarreal, District 123
Representative Trey Martinez-Fischer, District 116
Representative Joe Straus, District 121

Question & Answer

Reverend Jimmy Drennan
Pastor, St. Paul’s Catholic Church

Lunch

Introduction
Cam Messina

Moderator
Kevin Moriarty CEO,
Methodist Healthcare Ministries

Panelists
Anne Heiligenstein Deputy Executive Commissioner,
Health and Human Services Commissioner
Presentation

Kaitlin Guthrow Executive Director,
Texas Early Childhood Education Coalition
Presentation

Helen Kent Davis Director of Governmental Affairs, Texas Medical Association
Presentation

Question & Answer

Introduction
George Block
VOICES FOR CHILDREN Board Chair

Speaker
Nelson Wolff
Bexar County Judge

City Budget Hearing Update

Well-over twenty child advocates attended the City Council Budget Hearing on September 3^rd.  Many spoke and many others stood in their support.  Our message was clear:  invest in young children for the greatest return; and the professional development of our early childhood teachers is the best way to ensure a smart start!

The high point of the evening was a presentation to council members of decorated flower pots that carried information about the number of children, child care centers and child care teachers in their district!  Children from centers in each district presented the gifts!  We snapped a few photos, follow link to catch those kids’ smiles!