Former Gov. Jim Hunt got a standing ovation from a crowd of business leaders and educators early this morning as he challenged them to do more for Durham’s children, including mentoring and tutoring.
Hunt was the headliner at the annual State of Durham’s Children breakfast, held at the American Tobacco campus near downtown for $20 a head. This year’s speakers focused on involving businesses to improve education and job preparation.
“We need a lot of volunteers to introduce these children to careers,” Hunt implored. “Let ’em learn what it’s like and get excited about it. Help them understand why it’s important to study... Help them go somewhere.”
The event was hosted by the Greater Durham Chamber of Commerce, the Durham Public Schools and Durham’s Partnership for Children, and also highlighted the importance of early childhood development to prepare students for kindergarten.
There are more than 22,000 children under age 5 in Durham County, Hunt said, and a quarter of them are in poverty. Hunt pointed to efforts, such as the Smart Start program started under his administration, which helps prepare children before they get to school. He cited studies that show that most of a child's brain development occurs before age 5.
"If we do a good job in the first five years, that only enhances the job the schools can do in [kindergarten] through [12th grade,]" he said.
