Baldaccis to open childhood development summit

ROCKPORT – Gov. John Baldacci and first lady Karen Baldacci are scheduled to open the two-day 2007 Governor’s Economic Summit on Early Childhood at 1 p.m. today at the Samoset Resort.

The purpose of the summit is to bring together business leaders, legislators, law enforcement members and others to focus on the needs of children from birth to age 5. The participants will discuss how best to craft and put into practice strategies and programs to support comprehensive early childhood development, according to a spokesman at Baldacci’s office.

Through the governor’s Children’s Cabinet, which is led by the first lady, and the Task Force on Early Childhood, Maine has placed a particular focus in the past three years on investing early in children.

In addition to addresses by the governor and other leaders, developmental and community psychologist Hiro Yoshikawa, professor of education at Harvard University, will speak on neuroscience and brain development.

George Kaiser, businessman and founder of the Kaiser Family Foundation, will be the dinner speaker at 7:30 p.m. His foundation is committed to early intervention in the cycle of poverty.

Robbin Johnson, businessman and innovator of the early learning initiative in Minnesota, will speak at 10:15 a.m. Saturday. He will review the economic, environmental and ethical reasons that Minnesota businesses invest in early childhood development.

George Chappell may be reached at gchappell@bangor

dailynews.net or 236-4598.