Under Montpelier's Golden Dome

150 parents, children, early childhood professionals, and legislators gathered at the Vermont State House on Saturday, October 10th to have fun while learning about how Vermont's government works. The event was co-hosted by the Kids Are Priority One Coalition and Every Child Matters, as well as co-sponsored by over 50 organizations, agencies and businesses.

State House Open House

How a Bill Becomes a Law: Legislators led participants through an interactive skit on a proposed bill requiring children to eat Vermont-made ice cream for breakfast. After a "citizen" introduced the idea to Representative Warren Kitzmiller in the front lobby, the group moved it through the bill-filing room, House Gallery and Senate Chamber before celebrating its passage with a "mock" press conference in the Cedar Creek Room. In the Committee Room, Representative Lippert listened as two brothers gave testimony in favor ("good for Vermont dairy farmers," makes kids happy and therefore they will do better in school") to which parents offered up opposition ("not good for Vermont vegetable farmers," "what about the lactose-intolerant?"). Senator Campbell introduces the Lieutenant Governor below. Other legislators sharing information included Representative Patti Komline and Senator Doyle.

How the State Budget is Crafted: Deputy Commissioner Susan Zeller asked kids to identify ingredients for an apple pie as a way to begin discussing how the state budget is crafted. Then, Representative Howard Crawford managed negotiations on how the slices of the "budget pie" (representing public funds) should be dispersed. Participants advocated for better books for the library, a new bike path, a museum, after school programs and even space exploration and brainstormed ways to raise additional revenues. A raffe of 10 real apple pies donated by Vermont's Mystic Pie Company concluded the session.

How to Talk to Your Legislator: Representatives Patsy French, Tom Stevens and David Sharpe role-played with "constituents" about issues they cared about and possible policy solutions. Tips for effective citizen lobbying were shared for meeting with policymakers, writing letters, making phone calls and testifying at public hearings. Marie Fetteroff works with kids to identify their issue below.

Step Up For Kids Rally

Families were entertained by children's music from Jon Gailmor and Rik & Bec and inspired by speakers: U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders, Representative Alice Miller, Eliza Cain from Red Hen Baking Company and Leslie Albano, a parent from Brattleboro.

"As a business owner, I can tell you that my business is only as good as it's employees. Employees are only as good as their child care-without it they cannot do what they do. I see quality affordable child care as a basic need." - Eliza Cain, Co-Owner of the Red Hen Baking Company in Middlesex

"[Vermont's Child Care] Subsidy [Program] allowed me the opportunity to graduate college and find myself and my voice ... Subsidy provided my three year old with not just an experience in child care but an amazing opportunity in early education at the tender years of three and four. We are no longer just surviving, we are thriving." - Leslie Albano, parent from Brattleboro

Afterwards, families stolled along the StoryWalks on the State House lawn, reading "Leaves" by Ezra Stein and "The Dot" by Peter Reynolds.

Thank you to the event facilitators and volunteers:

• Representative Patti Komline
• Representative David Sharpe
• Representative Patsy French
• Representative Tom Stevens
• Representative Alice Miller
• Representative Warren Kitzmiller
• Representative Bill Lippert
• Representative Howard Crawford
• Senator Bill Doyle
• Senator John Campbell
• Bill MaGill, Legislative Council
• Andrea Stander, VPIRG
• Maura O'Brien
• Susan Zeller, Vermont Department of Finance
• Laura Fried, Green Mountain Music Together
• Sarah Adams Kollitz, Burlington Children's Space
• Marie Fetteroff, Vermont Family Network
• Jill Murphy, Family Center of Washington County
• Ann Dillenbeck, Building Bright Futures & Children's Integrated Services
• Laura Jacoby, Northeast Kingdom Community Action - Parent Child Center
• Sue Ryan, Melissa Riegel-Garrett, Kim Friedman, Barbara Postman, Kids Are Priority One Coalition
• Mark Hage, Vermont - NEA
• Rick McMahan, ORCA Media, Inc

Thank you to the event co-sponsors:

• Babble-On Day Care Center
• Body & Soul Therapeutics
• Brattleboro Area Prevention Coalition
• Brattleboro School District's Early Education Services
• Building Bright Futures of Southeastern Vermont
• Building Bright Futures Regional Council of Orleans and Northern Essex
• Burlington Children's Space
• Children's Integrated Services and Building Bright Futures Steering Committee of Franklin and Grand Isle Counties
• Community Action Brattleboro Area
• Creative Minds Children's Center
• Events for Tom
• Giggles Family Child Care and Pre-School
• Goddard College
• Green Mountain Music Together
• Green Mountain United Way
• Illume Fitness
• Kellogg Hubbard Library
• Lamoille Building Bright Futures Council
• Mama Says
• Meeting Waters YMCA
• Mother Load Doula
• Mystic Pie Company
• Northern Lights Career Development Center
• Peace and Justice Center
• Servpro of Burlington/South Burlington
• Southern Vermont Providers Association
• Springfield College School of Human Services - St Johnsbury Campus
• Umbrella
• Vermont Association of Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies
• Vermont Association for the Education of Young Children
• Vermont Bicycle and Pedestrian Association
• Vermont Businesses for Social Responsibility

2009 State House Open House