VCC Magazine Fall 2018

V irginia C apitol C onnections , F all 2018 5 If you were to visit Virginia’s First Lady’s offices in the Patrick Henry Building, you might be surprised and pleased at what you see on her door and the doors of her staff members. No, not just nameplates, but photographs of each one—from their childhoods. The pictures are not just cute. They serve as a constant reminder of Pamela Northam’s main theme of her term: prioritizing Virginia’s precious children. Mrs. Northam’s own childhood in Texas was enviable. She comes from a long line of strong women who loved learning, loved science, pursued higher education, and made personal sacrifices to take care of the family. She cherishes being a kid. Half of each summer was spent on the family ranch; the other half on the Texas coast, with both sets of grandparents by her side. She describes the big, beautiful live oak trees on the farm, then “treasure hunting” for seashells in the sand. “We were expected to work,” she said, but after work they “swam in the creek for hours.” There were chickens, ducks, horses, and cattle. One can see how a love of nature blossomed into an interest in ecology, science, and what we now call STEM vocations. Even camping, cooking, and sewing gives youth a “connection” to STEM, she said, and a chance “to develop skills for other training.” Mrs. Northam’s career has taken her through teaching biology to advocating for water quality, and now as a powerful leader for protection for the environment and for children throughout Virginia. With her interests, it is easy to see how she was attracted to a young physician named Ralph Northam. She laughs as she tells the story of how they met. She had just graduated and a friend invited her to a pool party. The friend wanted her to meet Northam, described as “a really nice young man.” What she expected to be a happy mix of guys and gals was, in fact, the nice young man and “about 20 single ladies.” Looking back, she said it was like modern television’s “The Bachelor,” which gives the lucky man a chance to choose a favorite from a bevy of eligible “bachelorettes.” The way that young Northam stole her heart was his rescue of a kitten. There was a little kitten in distress in a closet. The cat would not, or could not eat. So, the dashing young pediatrician raced off to the NICU (neonatal intensive care unit) at the hospital where he worked. He came back with tiny tubes that are used to feed premature babies, and he saved the life of the kitten. He was even more irresistible when he adopted a kitten to take home—a home that eventually became their home with two kittens. Now that she is in the role of First Lady, Mrs. Northam brings her love of little ones to the Commonwealth. She is focusing her time here on “families and children.” She talks about the “window of time”—that short period that science has found to be crucial to the development of the child’s brain, and to the development of language. One can see her earnestness about children from birth to five years of age, in which time their brain cells must be properly stimulated. “What we don’t use, we lose,” said Mrs. Northam, referring to the plasticity of the brain. She said that the age of 18 months is especially critical for language development. Proper nutrition is all part of this, she said, because the brain needs oxygen and glucose. A child who is hungry, for example, will miss out on this chance to develop. The child also needs “high quality interaction” to reach his or her potential. Her goal in the next three years is “in a big way, to serve our families,” she said. This is part of the thinking behind the new Children’s Cabinet that the Governor started in June by executive order. The First Lady chairs the Cabinet, which includes members such as Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax, Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry Bettina Ring, Secretary of Education Atif Qarni, Secretary of Health and Human Resources Daniel Carey, M.D., and Secretary of Public Safety and Homeland Security Brian Moran. The Cabinet will look for ways to promote early childhood development and school readiness. It will also promote nutrition, and systems of care for school-aged youth. It will be “great for the workforce, too,” said Mrs. Northam, because students will have better chances to move from school to meaningful careers. She said she wants to “bring everything to the table.” To that end, Mrs. Northam has embarked on a series of visits across the Commonwealth, where she will not only visit, but listen. “You need to talk to the people who are actually doing the work,” she said. Some things are built that would have been different “had they just asked.” She is working with community partners, too, such as United Way and the YMCA. She stresses that this group will be bipartisan. The Northams’ two children, Wes and Aubrey, are adults now. Wes is a neurosurgery resident, and Aubrey is a web developer with an artistic side. But her work for children carries on. Mrs. Northam is very comfortable being called a feminist, seeking empowerment and equality for all: women, the LGBT community, people with special needs, and so on. The First Lady is always given an opportunity to select art for the walls of the Executive Mansion’s “women’s salon.” Mrs. Northam has chosen Martha Washington and Pocahontas to be on her wall, and in her spirit. Bonnie Atwood, J.D., is editor in chief of Virginia Capitol Connections Quarterly Magazine. Children are First, with Virginia’s First Lady By Bonnie Atwood we must provide them the compensation and education they need to do their best. We want to reward teachers for their good work, and provide support and training to those who need it. We plan to facilitate the work that has begun with our community colleges and universities to provide multiple paths to training for early childhood educators. In each region we visited from the Eastern Shore to the Valley to the Northern Neck we saw local communities partnering with businesses and nonprofits to find innovative ways to expand access to quality early education. We want to position state government to better support local innovation so the unique needs of communities can be met. We were encouraged to meet so many superintendents who were working hand-in-hand with dedicated groups like the United Way and business leaders to improve school readiness in their communities. An increasing number of visionary business leaders know this is an investment in both the workforce of today and Continued from previous page tomorrow. Access to affordable full day childcare allows parents to work more hours or return to school for more training. Quality early education also creates lasting benefits for students throughout their K-12 experiences and better prepares them to enter the workforce. By 2022 we envision a Virginia where more children are entering kindergarten ready to learn. With unified standards, measures, and rewards there will be greater support for teachers and more information available for parents and families. Virginia has already done amazing work in early education. Now, with the support of business leaders, legislators from both parties, and an administration uniquely qualified to address these issues, there has never been a better time to make significant and sustainable improvements. Virginia can and should be a national leader in early education. I am so grateful for the privilege to have this opportunity to make a lasting impact on the lives of children, and our workforce, for years to come. 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