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When Danna Gallardo sees young children learning, she has hopes that they will never go to her school.<\/p>\nAs we enter this month of showing gratitude, First Things First celebrates the commitment of nearly 50 regional partnership council members who have served on a council for 10 years.<\/p>\n
These dedicated citizens represent the many facets of our community that have a stake in our young children\u2019s success, including parents, educators, child care professionals, health care providers, tribal communities, faith representatives, business leaders and philanthropists.<\/p>\n
At FTF, these volunteer council members \u2013 up to 11 on each regional council – help to strengthen the services and supports available to young children and their families in their communities.<\/p>\n
Since 2008, regional council members have volunteered more than 350,000 hours in dedicated service to young children, including efforts to study the needs of their communities and work with local stakeholders to identify priorities for funding. But, being a regional council member goes beyond the work done in meeting rooms. Each member \u2013 in their professional and personal lives \u2013 works to connect others in their community with the work of FTF, whether building awareness of the importance of early childhood among audiences ranging from families to policymakers, or establishing community partnerships that help to expand or enhance the local supports for young children or their families.<\/p>\n
Over the next six weeks, we\u2019ll introduce you to a handful of these 10-year FTF veterans from different regions throughout Arizona. Each profile is followed by a complete list of the members in that regional area who have served for 10 years. Regardless of their location or affiliations, these individuals share one common trait: they are passionate about improving the lives of young children in their communities. They are true champions for children.<\/p>\n
When Danna Gallardo sees young children learning, she has hopes that they will never go to her school.<\/p>\n
As Director of the Juvenile Detention Education Center of Santa Cruz County, Gallardo offers her young charges life skills that she hopes will encourage and enable the youth to lead productive, successful lives.<\/p>\n
\u201cYes, it\u2019s a jail, but it\u2019s also a blessing,\u201d Gallardo said. \u201cWhen you consider the hardship and trauma that so many of them have endured, it\u2019s amazing to see what love and access to opportunity do for these youth; it opens their eyes to what\u2019s possible for them.\u201d<\/p>\n
That\u2019s exactly what Gallardo thinks when she sees the impact of the FTF Santa Cruz Regional Partnership Council, where she volunteers as an at-large member. A mother and grandmother, Gallardo said she felt passionate about helping children, but admits when she first joined the council, she wasn\u2019t quite sure what she was getting in to.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut once we started doing the work, when I saw what access to early learning was doing for kids; what support in their role as their child\u2019s first teacher was doing for families, I was hooked,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
With an unpredictable caseload and schedule, Gallardo said it can be challenging keep up with all of the information and meetings, particularly during the years when she served as chair of her council. But, it\u2019s all worth it to see strategies that began as ideas turning into expanded services for families.<\/p>\n
\u201cFirst Things First is just different from any organization I have worked with; from the Board to the staff to the regional councils, everyone is on the same page,\u201d she said. \u201cWe all are committed to helping young children succeed because, one way or another, we have all felt the impact of not investing.\u201d<\/p>\n
In her case, it\u2019s youth suffering from different types of abuse or neglect, dealing with drugs or violence in homes, or simply not having access to nurturing, stimulating environments.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf you look at the statistics \u2013 starting with poverty and trauma \u2013 it\u2019s not hard to see why our juvenile detention facilities are full,\u201d Gallardo said. \u201cBut if you go to an early childhood program, you can also see why there is hope. Supporting children in having access to quality early childhood experiences is how we prevent or mitigate so much of what I see every day.\u201d<\/p>\n
She said she wishes all parents and caregivers \u2013 like teachers \u2013 were required to take classes in early childhood development.<\/p>\n
\u201cEveryone could benefit from understanding how important the early years are. If all young children in our communities, in our state, had the types of opportunities provided by First Things First, they aren\u2019t going to end up with me in seven to 12 years,\u201d Gallardo said. \u201cWe can change their trajectory. When they\u2019re ready for school, they\u2019re ready for the world.\u201d<\/p>\n
Pascua Yaqui Tribe Region<\/p>\n
Cecilia Garcia<\/p>\n
Shanna Ioane Tautolo<\/p>\n
Marilynn Correa Sando<\/p>\n
Pima North Region<\/p>\n
Peg (Marguerite) Harmon<\/p>\n
Annabel Ratley<\/p>\n
Dr. Dorothy Johnson<\/p>\n
Pima South Region<\/p>\n
Connie Espinoza<\/p>\n
Paul Ohm<\/p>\n
Santa Cruz Region<\/p>\n
Danna Gallardo<\/p>\n
Tohono O\u2019odham Nation Region<\/p>\n
Albert Adler<\/p>\n