Nearly 150 parents
gathered at the Legislative Office Building in Hartford on
June 25 to receive their diplomas from the Parent Leadership
Training InstituteSM, a civic initiative of the
Connecticut Commission on Children. (Learn
more about PLTI here.)
The graduates—from Waterbury, Bridgeport, Middlesex County,
East Hartford, Milford, Norwalk, Greenwich, Danbury, and
Meriden—received diplomas after devoting more than 100 hours
to developing the skills needed to become leaders in their
communities.
Among those on hand to
congratulate the graduates were state Attorney General
Richard Blumenthal, state Comptroller Nancy Wyman, and
Commission on Children Chairman Dr. Alex Geertsma. (Photos
below.)
The Commission on Children led the foundation of PLTI 14
years ago, after it became apparent that more parents would
participate in civic affairs if they had the right skills.
Parents learn from PLTI how community change occurs. Their
course requirements include completing community projects of
their choosing. Here’s a sampling of the 2008 projects:
- Indoor Air Quality
Tools for Schools (Middlesex County)
- Introducing
Non-English Speaking Families to Preschool (Milford)
- Raising Awareness
and Providing Resources for Children with ADHD (Norwalk)
- Strengthening Bonds
Between Teen Mothers and Their Babies (East Hartford)
- Grandparents
Raising Grandchildren or Foster Children (Waterbury)
- Things to Do from
Birth to Two (Danbury)
- Stop School
Violence Program (Waterbury)
For a complete list of
the projects,
download this graduation program. (PDF)
Also at the graduation,
Elizabeth Morgan of the Middlesex Coalition for Children
received the Robert Haller Memorial Award for Outstanding
Community Service. The award, created in 2006 to honor Bob
Haller and his contributions to PLTI, was presented to
Morgan by David Nee, executive director of the William
Casper Graustein Memorial Fund.
"The Parent Leadership
Training Institute has been inspiring and training parents
to become more effective advocates for children since 1992,”
Commission on Children Executive Director Elaine Zimmerman
said. “The PLTI Class of 2008 now joins more than 1,600
alumni statewide who are making a difference by taking
leadership roles with local parent-teacher organizations,
boards of education, town commissions, nonprofit boards, and
even the General Assembly."
Prior to the statewide graduation ceremony, the local PLTI
classes held their own ceremonies.
Read testimony about the
value of PLTI from Kim Folston, a PLTI graduate from Norwalk
(PDF)
Photos
Click on the thumbnails to enlarge.
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This artwork,
placed before the podium used for the graduation
ceremony and reproduced in the graduation program,
was designed by Whitney Lane, East Hartford PLTI
Class of 2008. |
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State Comptroller
Nancy Wyman greets the parents just before their
procession. |
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Attorney General
Richard Blumenthal leads the gathering in making the
Pledge of Allegiance. |
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Dr. Alex Geertsma,
chair of the Commission on Children, gives his
congratulations. |
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A parent from every
town in the PLTI graduating class came forward to
give an address. For Middlesex County, it was
Kimberly Salama. |
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Italo Castillo
of the Danbury PLTI class is congratulated after accepting his
diploma. |
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Keisha Williams of
Middletown (right) accepts congratulations from
Commission on Children Executive Director Elaine
Zimmerman. |
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Some of the new
graduates, with diplomas in hand. |
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David Nee,
executive director of the William Casper Graustein
Memorial Fund, shares a laugh after the ceremonies
with Elizabeth Morgan of the Middlesex Coalition for
Children. Earlier, he had presented her with PLTI's
Robert Haller Memorial Award for Outstanding
Community Service. |
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Two of the family
members attending the graduation take a few turns
around the dance floor. |
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