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The Early Childhood Initiative Foundation

Photo: Dr. Jane and Jerry Katcher
The Early Childhood Initiative Foundation, a 501 (c)(3) operating foundation, came into being in early 1999, the idea and inspiration of Dr. Jane and Jerry Katcher of Miami, with strong support from another Miami couple, Jan and Daniel Lewis. The foundation was formed to work toward an early childhood education and development initiative in Miami-Dade County, population 2.3 million, Florida's largest county (with more people than 16 states). The initiative aims toward "universal readiness" -- that is, making available and affordable high quality health, education and nurturing for all of this community's 160,000 children between birth and age 5. In doing so, the initiative works toward the social, physical, emotional and intellectual growth of all children so that they are ready and eager to be successful in the first grade and, indeed, in life.

 

The foundation's president is David Lawrence Jr., who retired after 35 years of daily newspapering to devote his efforts fulltime to "school readiness." He can be reached at 305-646-7229. The fax number is 305-646-7232. His e-mail address is dlawrence@childreadiness.org

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November 2000 - Miami-Dade County Parents Study by
The Early Childhood Initiative Foundation

(download file size: 260 KB)

David Lawrence Jr.

Speeches

June 11, 2008
The text of a speech given by David Lawrence Jr., president of The Early Childhood Initiative Foundation, on June 11, 2008 before a conference on psychotropic medicines at Florida International University in Miami.

May 30, 2008
The text of a speech given by David Lawrence Jr., president of The Early Childhood Initiative Foundation, on May 30, 2008 before the CEO Summit for Business Leaders in King of Prussia, Pa.

February 1, 2008
The text of a speech given by David Lawrence Jr., president of The Early Childhood Initiative Foundation, on February 1, 2008 before a Miami-Dade Schools student services conference in Miami.

January 29, 2008
The text of a speech given by David Lawrence Jr., president of The Early Childhood Initiative Foundation, on Jan. 29, 2008, at a Miami launch of a community-wide investment in higher quality for child care centers and homes.

April 25, 2007
The text of a speech given by David Lawrence Jr., president of The Early Childhood Initiative Foundation, on April 25, 2007 before a University of Florida College of Education audience in Gainesville.

October 6, 2006
The text of a speech given by David Lawrence Jr., president of The Early Childhood Initiative Foundation, on Oct. 6, 2006 before the Children's Summit in Orlando, Fla.

September 15, 2006
The text of a speech given by David Lawrence Jr., president of The Early Childhood Initiative Foundation, on Sept. 15, 2006 before the Askew Institute at the University of Florida in Gainesville.

August 5, 2006
The text of a speech given by David Lawrence Jr., president of The Early Childhood Initiative Foundation, on Aug. 5, 2006. The occasion was the summer commencement ceremonies at Florida State University in Tallahassee.

October 14, 2005
The text of a speech given by David Lawrence Jr., president of The Early Childhood Initiative Foundation, on Oct. 14, 2005 in Orlando, Fla., before a statewide summit of business executives, hosted by Florida Tax Watch, on “voluntary universal prekindergarten” and quality.

June 14, 2005
The text of a speech given by David Lawrence Jr., president of The Early Childhood Initiative Foundation, on June 14, 2005 in Harrisburg, Pa., before the “Policy Workshop on Early Childhood Education: Universal Pre-K and Other Alternatives.”

February 23, 2005
The text of a speech given by David Lawrence Jr., president of The Early Childhood Initiative Foundation, on Feb. 23, 2005 before the Washington, D.C., conference on early literacy screening.

May 20, 2004
The text of a speech given by David Lawrence Jr., president of The Early Childhood Initiative Foundation, on May 20, 2004 before the Florida Department of Health county directors in Miami.

December 15, 2003
The text of a speech given by David Lawrence Jr., president of The Early Childhood Initiative Foundation, on Dec. 15, 2003 before the National Governors Association Forum on Quality Pre-School in Orlando.

May 23, 2003
The text of a speech given by David Lawrence Jr., the president of The Early Childhood Initiative Foundation, at the United Way Success By 6 in Charlotte on May 23, 2003.

May 14, 2003
The text of a speech given by David Lawrence Jr., the president of The Early Childhood Initiative Foundation, at the DCF Prevention Conference in Orlando on May 14, 2003.

January 24, 2003
The text of a speech given by David Lawrence Jr., the president of The Early Childhood Initiative Foundation, "Panama City Early Childhood Services Dinner" in Panama City on Jan. 24, 2003.

June 29, 2002
The text of a speech given by David Lawrence Jr., the president of The Early Childhood Initiative Foundation, "Family Child Care Home Association" in Clearwater Beach on Jun. 29, 2002.

February 4, 2002
The text of a speech given by David Lawrence Jr., the president of The Early Childhood Initiative Foundation, "Creating a Movement for Change in Early Childhood Education" for the Partnership Forum in Tampa on Feb. 4, 2002.

October 10, 2001
The text of a speech given by David Lawrence Jr., the president of The Early Childhood Initiative Foundation, to the Southern Regional Invitational Forum on Child Care in Atlanta on Oct. 10, 2001.

February 8, 2001
The text of a speech given by David Lawrence Jr., the president of The Early Childhood Initiative Foundation, at the annual convening of the Askew Institute at the University of Florida in Gainesville on Feb. 8, 2001

September 30, 1999
The text of remarks by David Lawrence Jr., the president of The Early Childhood Initiative Foundation, to the 4,500 people attending the Mayor's Children's Summit on Sept. 30, 1999 in Miami Beach.

February 12, 1998
The text of a speech given by David Lawrence Jr., then publisher of The Miami Herald, when he chaired the Readiness Committee of the Governor's Commission on Education. The speech was in Orlando on Feb. 12, 1998.

Address:

The Early Childhood Initiative Foundation
3250 SW Third Ave.
Miami, Fla. 33129

The Early Childhood Initiative Foundation Staff:

David Lawrence Jr.
President
(305) 646-7229
Email: dlawrence@childreadiness.org

Ana Sejeck
Chief Operating Officer
(305) 646-7231
Email: asejeck@childreadiness.org

Alina Diaz
Ready Schools Miami director of systems and database support
(305) 646-7245
Email: adiaz@childreadiness.org

Monica Barrios
Executive Assistant
(305) 646-7228
Email: mbarrios@childreadiness.org

Ana de Aguiar Echevarria
Newsletter Editor
(305) 646-7230
Email: adeaguiar@childreadiness.org