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| PHOTO: Tim Hynds, Sioux City Journal |
Like many
Nebraskans you’re likely to meet, Sally Ganem is fiercely devoted to her state.
In fact, she calls living in Nebraska, “…an opportunity to live the good life –
and make the good life great.”
And as the
state’s First Lady, she’s doing all she can to make the good life great for all
of Nebraska’s citizens, especially the children.
Children have
always been a priority for Ganem, a mother of one son and a former elementary
school principal. From her many years in education, she understands the value
of high-quality early learning and care.
"In my experience as an elementary
school principal, it was so easy to see the difference between those children
who had been part of quality early childhood programs or parenting, and those
who had not. The ones who did have those experiences came to school prepared
and hungry to learn. They had a much
broader vocabulary, were better able to share with classmates, and were more
excited to explore new ideas. The
learning gap between those children is larger in kindergarten, and the gap only
gets larger over time, expanding throughout their educational experience."
"Educational
achievement is clearly tied to later success in life. Both my husband and I
understand that business development and quality early childhood learning and
care experiences are one and the same. In a competitive global economy, we need
workers who have been encouraged to learn, explore and achieve from their
earliest days of life. These are the
children who will grow up flexible, adaptable, curious, and able to think
through challenges. These are the kinds
of citizens and workers who make Nebraska great."
“I believe that
parents and grandparents are the most significant teachers of young children
and the most significant persons in their lives – and I hope this legacy
continues,” Ganem says. “I wish every child could have a caring, loving
environment in which to grow. But that’s not always the case, and we need to
make sure that all of Nebraska’s
youngest children have the opportunities to learn, grow and realize their full
potential, especially those who face the greatest challenges in their earliest
years.”
Ganem believes
one way to address the needs of children and youth is through volunteerism.
“Children and youth are the future of this country. We need to invest in them
by giving of our time and talents,” she notes. Calling volunteerism the
backbone of efforts to improve children’s lives, Ganem proudly points to the
fact that Nebraskans provide more than one billion dollars annually in
volunteer service.
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| Omaha World Herald |
“When I was
principal of Howard Elementary School in Fremont, I saw the tremendous positive
effect our older volunteers had on students,” Ganem explains. “I can’t imagine
what my school would have been like without those volunteers; they made a world
of difference to the children and to our school. They were a special and completely unique
source of warmth, support and encouragement for our children, and a valued
resource for our parents and staff.”
“As a state and
as a country, we will be in trouble if we don’t help our young people. Children
need to have a voice in our communities. Grandparents and other older adults
can give them that voice by advocating on their behalf. It’s reassuring for
children to see older adults standing up for them.
“For
older adults who want to join in the effort, I recommend they visit www.serve.nebraska.gov and www.seniors4kids.org, and get involved. It will make
a world of difference to our children and to those who volunteer.”
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