Article submitted by Marilyn Deling
Cradle 2 Career (C2C) held its 2nd Annual Education Summit titled, “We Are All C2C: Transforming Systems Together” on Wednesday, October 4. This all-day event was made possible, in part, by the three Rotary Clubs in Rochester. The Rotary Club of Rochester provided 10 volunteers for the Summit, who served in various capacities. Those who volunteered were: Alison Good, Kristine Ihrke, Robert Bouapaenphan, Sara Gilliland, Steve Sperling, Steve Nyhus, Tamsen Leimer, Vicki Allen, Ashok Patel, and Marilyn Deling. There was a total of 18 volunteers, with the others provided by the Rochester Rotary Risers and Greater Rochester Rotary. The Summit also received financial support from the three clubs. Julie Ruzek, executive director of C2C recognized and thanked the Rotary Clubs of Rochester in her opening remarks, as well as in the Summit’s handout/schedule. As the The Rotary Club of Rochester's C2C ambassador, I also extend a sincere thank you to all who contributed by either volunteering or providing financial support!More than 200 participants attended the Summit, from all sectors of the community: Rochester School District, Olmsted County, City of Rochester, private non-profits, the Child Care community, public officials, and volunteers. About 40 speakers presented in 25 break-out sessions throughout the day, covering a variety of relevant topics that span children’s lives from “cradle to career.”
The foremost message from C2C staff, parent council, and leadership table is that they need everyone who serves children and their families to be a part of this community-owned, community-driven initiative. C2C is a team of five full-time staff and a handful of part-time staff. They cannot transform systems by themselves. The C2C initiative was created to convene partners, to provide data and research support, and to engage the community so that education disparities are eliminated and more young people are on the path to economic mobility. To do this, they need the involvement of all their partners, including Rotary!
Thank you for your ongoing commitment to this important work!