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Silicon Valley & Early Childhood Ed

ASPR helped long-time client Council for Professional Recognition take the case for more innovation in early childhood education to the Silicon Valley. Read about why we need more research on integrating developmentally appropriate technology literacy into young children’s daily learning environment.

 

Opinion: Why early education needs a technology transformation

“The Hill” Quotes ASPR Client

Influential Washington outlet “The Hill” cited a recent interview with ASPR client “Conversations on Health Care”; the article was picked up by other news outlets across the U.S.:

During an interview with the radio program “Conversations on Health Care,” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Director Rochelle Walensky said the administration wants to provide people with the broadest possible protection.

“So the strategy now is to tailor vaccine for giving us the largest breadth of response, ideally one that would have less waning over time,” Walensky said. “I believe it is best to use a vaccine that is tailored for the variant that we have right now.”

https://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/3617544-white-house-effort-to-stave-off-fall-covid-surge-with-new-boosters-faces-uphill-battle/

 

Advocating for Early Childhood Education

Congress Bailed Out the Airline Industry. Why Won’t It Do the Same for Child Care? Commentary by Janna Rodriguez.

“Eight years ago I started a child care program in Freeport, New York. We’re proud of our educators, who’ve not only earned the Child Development Associate credential (www.cdacouncil.org), but have proven they understand how to nurture the emotional, physical, intellectual and social development of children.

During the worst months of the pandemic, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and other leaders in Washington gave $50 billion of our tax dollars to the 10 major passenger airlines in the U.S. to help pay the salaries of 750,000 airline professionals. These funds were justified, Congress argued, because it would prevent the airlines from going bankrupt. And yes, in that case, Congress did the right thing, as evidenced by the success the travel sector is enjoying again.

It’s time now for Congress to take a similar step for our early childhood educators, before it’s too late.” https://lnkd.in/eTrpus2e

Paragon Title Innovation Advances

Paragon Title, a local leader dedicated to easing the home purchase process with innovation and expertise, is taking the next step to enhance these achievements. Rob Rothstein, a veteran Paragon attorney who has led the technology and service initiatives, assumes duties as President and current President Randy Rothstein officially takes on the title of Founder and continues to actively advise the Washington, DC area’s leading independent title company.

Randy Rothstein said, “I have seen significant changes in our industry during my 41 years leading Paragon Title. As our industry has evolved, so has our company. This leadership transition speaks to Rob’s and the entire team’s success over many years in reimagining and refining how we help buyers, sellers, agents, and lenders. We take great pride in being an independent family-owned business which allows us to focus exclusively on the customer and the agent experience.”

Rob Rothstein commented, “I want to recognize my father for his vision and dedication to building Paragon Title into the leading independent title company serving DC, Maryland, and Northern Virginia. I am exceptionally fortunate to have the support of the best team in the business, especially my brother, Brad. Together, we will continue to lead this industry and further improve the home closing process.”

Reflecting on the transition, Terri Davis, General Manager of Real Estate at Notarize.com said, “We congratulate both Rob on his elevation to President and Randy on his new role. We know Paragon Title as the first in the country to provide attorney-led eClosings via Notarize and they’re actively collaborating with the platform to set the pace of innovation and digital transformation in this exciting space. This is the kind of premier industry-leading activity Paragon is recognized for, and we expect it will continue to build on in the years ahead.”

Since its inception, Paragon has helped over 100,000 buyers and sellers with real estate settlement transactions, from starter homes to premier luxury properties.

The Greater Capital Area Association of Realtors® has recognized Paragon Title numerous times, including this past year as “Affiliate of the Year” for service and support of local Realtors®. Fidelity National Title presented Paragon with its 2021 Top Producing Agent and Excellence in Action Award. The firm has received many similar recognitions throughout its history.

Paragon Title offices are at 7415 Arlington Road in Bethesda, MD and 1410 Q Street NW in Washington, DC and online at ParagonTitle.com.

PR and the Biden White House

Capitol Communicator recently shared observations from Adam Shapiro about how the Biden administration planned and executed its historic Pride event. https://capitolcommunicator.com/event-and-pr-observations-from-the-biden-white-house/

Capitol Communicator:  Adam Shapiro, who leads Adam Shapiro Public Relations in D.C., attended a White House Pride Month Celebration in the East Room on June 15. As an equality advocate and professional communicator, he shared his perspective about how the Biden administration put together the event:

1. Build an early vision

First Lady Jill Biden said that she and Second Gentlemen Doug Emhoff decided in October 2020 that if their spouses were elected, they would want to hold a Pride celebration at the White House. In other words, they had a vision even before they had the keys to 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. With any kind of complex event, early strategic thinking and buy-in are needed.

2. Gather the allies

COVID is hitting its two-and-a-half anniversary and, more than ever, people are hungry for in-person events that allow for face-to-face conversations. The Biden team instinctively knew how to tap into this interest by inviting national LGBT leaders, LGBT advocates it has known through the years from Delaware and other locations, and additional friends and supporters.

3. Create opportunities for surprises

Any invitation to the White House is an honor for even the most hardened PR professional, but the Biden team added to the excitement by not explaining all its plans at once. It was only on the day of the event that the administration publicly stated that the president would sign an executive order that would take a number of actions designed to ensure equality for LGBTQ Americans. The attendees then realized they were going to more than just a reception — they were going to witness history.

4. Tap into tested messages

Before President Biden signed the executive order, he gave brief remarks. He explained that the executive order was needed because “We’re in a battle for the very soul of this nation.” This message about the soul of the nation is one Biden successfully used in his primary campaign and then the general election. He effectively used his remarks to connect his actions with his long-time message and linked LGBT rights to American values.

5. Real person

The other star of the event was Javier Gomez, an 18-year-old Floridian who helped to organize the statewide student walkouts over the “Don’t Say Gay” bill that bans teachers from discussing LGBTQI+ people and families. The White House understood a real person would be able to bring these issues to life, even if that meant all the elected officials in the room didn’t get a chance at the mic.

Shapiro says these five points all led to an important occasion that received favorable media attention and, for Shapiro, his chance to witness history.