What was your first taste as an advocate?
 
Marianna Kulak McCall: Over the last decade I’ve worked with Save the Children, in Westport, focusing on humanitarian response in disasters. And I’ve seen how education is a lifeline for children. Children living through unimaginable chaos and dev- astation, nonetheless retain their need to learn and develop. And it’s up to the adults to meet that most basic human need. If we create the right learning environment, children thrive.
Laurie McTeague: I went to law school with the intent to focus on public interest work, but took a more traditional path after graduation. Then, in the first days of 2008, I started volunteering for the Obama campaign. Before I knew it, I was the volunteer field organizer for seven towns in Fairfield County! I found it very gratifying to help people understand and communicate about the issues at hand, and to empower them to shape their community and their political world.
 
What are your ties to Connecticut and what do you love about the Nutmeg State?
MKM: I grew up in New Britain, Connecticut in a wonderful community of Polish immigrants. Much of my family still lives here. I have lived in many places, but I’m so glad to have settled back here in Connecticut.
LM: I moved to CT almost 10 years ago and my three children were born here, so our roots are now deep. I love that the relatively small size of CT allows people to step up and take owner- ship of issues that concern them.
 
How has education impacted your own life or those around you?
MKM: As first generation Americans, education gave my brothers and me the opportunity to grow and develop and join our community as productive and engaged citizens.
LM: In the rural New York town where I grew up, obtaining a good education is key in determining the range of economic opportunities and life experiences a person will have. As I watch my own children now, I see how they blossom when their capabilities and their love of learning are nurtured. I know this will open doors for them in the future... while their peers who don’t receive a good education will find those doors closed.
 
Why the focus on education reform?
LM: As the mothers of young children, we know first-hand that EVERY child has the potential to succeed. It is the adults’ job is to provide them the tools and the environment in which they can reach that potential. In CT, we simply are not doing that. That is irresponsible AND unsustainable... none of us can afford to live in a state that is failing to create educated and productive citizens. Also, this is an unprecedented time in history for education reform! The Obama administration’s Race to the Top challenge has done more to advance education reform in the last several months than have other reform efforts over the last decade. As proud Nutmeggers, we think that our state can rise to the occasion and win this race for our children.
 
How did you find out about ConnCAN?
MKM: ConnCAN has built a national reputation in the education debate as a leader in putting children’s needs first. We are very lucky to have their focus and energy directed on this problem in our state.
LM: A friend brought me to ConnCAN to learn and be inspired. I think that’s typical of how ConnCAN has built this movement... reaching out to individuals through individuals to make this a personal mission.
 
Tell us about the video you produced.
MKM: We just couldn’t believe how many residents do not realize that Connecticut has the largest achievement gap in the nation. There are so many things to be proud of in our state, but there is simply no excuse for being dead last in the country with our achievement gap. So we thought it would be illuminating to have the kids talk about the state and give their perspective on living and learning in Connecticut. We hope that by having the children speak, the adults will be moved to action on their behalf.
 
What do you think regular citizens can do about our achievement gap?
MKM: I was talking to someone about the achievement gap the other day, and he said: “I’d like to help educate kids, but I don’t write big checks.” “That’s Ok,” I said, “do you write letters? Can you make phone calls?” He smiled, and I knew we had another education advocate in Connecticut.
LM: The best thing people can do is LEARN and join the conver- sation. When people start telling each other... and their legislators... that our current system is unacceptable and unsustainable, we will reshape expectations and results. In a small state like CT, a limited investment of time and energy can make a big impact.
 
What would Connecticut be like if there was no achievement gap?
MKM: We would have tens of thousands more young adults entering our economy ready to help propel our state and our country into a bright new century.
LM: We would be a shining example to the rest of the country about how it is possible to educate ALL children fairly and effectively.
 

My passion to support education, children, teachers and administrators stems from my family. My father was a secondary school principal and mom was a home economics teacher in NYC for a combined 80 years. I have lived in the greater Hartford area for five years and through sports gotten to know many inner city youth as well as the schools they attend. We have known for sometime that CT’s schools and facilities are in terrible shape and some of the worst energy hogs in the US. (http://nutmeg.easternct.edu/sustainenergy/documents/CTSchoolEnergyEffici...) We also know that CT’s Education Achievement Gap (difference between test scores for high and low-income students) is the largest in the nation. If closing this gap is really a priority, there’s a broad and growing body of research that links achievement to the physical learning environment. Access to windows, indoor environmental quality (temp, humidity, air filtration) and acoustics are all important contributors to successful learning. The industry can provide the needed infrastructure renewal NOW, and use the associated energy savings to cover the costs over the next 10-20 years. No capital bonding required. (http://eetd.lbl.gov/EA/EMP/reports/lbnl-1202e.pdf). We are already spending the money that could be used to improve schools, raise test scores, retain the best teachers, and save energy! We cannot seem to get out of our own way to make it happen. In closing I’d like to share a quote from Matthew E. May in his book “In Pursuit of Elegance” “..we need some way to consistently replace value destroying complexity with value creating simplicity because we need to know how to make room for more of what matters by eliminating what doesn’t.” Bill Harris, VP Education Environments IR wharris@trane.com