For Parents, a Can-Do Spirit That's Catching

"My greatest fear in Alexandria was the growing loss of diverse voices. I use that word not to indicate nationality . . . or racial diversity -- but just plain diversity in voices," Woodson said. "As a member of the council, sitting in that chamber, it was the same people who came before us all the time. That's all we heard from.

"The only time we heard from a different group was during the budget session," she added. "And by then, it was too late. You can't stand up to policymakers one time a year and say, 'I think you need to pay attention to X.' It doesn't work that way. So I thought that anything that was going to provide a logical approach to teaching advocacy skills to a new and, quite frankly, broader range of voices, was an excellent idea. It was exciting, really."

Woodson helped secure a $10,000 start-up grant from the city and a matching grant of $30,000. She wooed local sponsors such as the Hotel Monaco and the Hoffman Management Co. to come up with the matching funds. And she arranged for Hopkins House, a nonprofit group that serves disadvantaged children, to provide technical support such as grant writing.

Over the years, Woodson had heard about other parent training programs, but they mostly consisted of parents coming in and getting talked at, she said. "Garbage in, garbage out," as she put it. But in 2003, at a conference of city officials, Woodson heard Elaine Zimmerman speak, and she was electrified.

Zimmerman started the Parent Leadership Training Program in Connecticut 15 years ago. Now there are institutes in 14 Connecticut cities, and hundreds graduate every year at a big ceremony at the state capitol. Three former students serve in the state legislature; others are on city councils and school boards. And graduates have logged more than 1.5 million volunteer hours working to make their communities better.

"The idea emerged because parents were truly missing from the table in public policy discussions," Zimmerman said. "They've been marginalized across class and education levels. But real and positive child outcomes will not be sustainable without the family behind them."

As executive director of the Connecticut Commission on Children, Zimmerman began holding focus groups with parents. Just when they started brainstorming and tossing out ideas about changes they'd like to see, they'd stop themselves, deflated, and say, "But I'm just a parent."

So she set out to change that attitude and set up an institute that would teach parents about how the system works, how to become part of it and how to promote change.

"Most people, when they think about parent engagement, it's all about raising extra money. And while that's important, it's not connected to something critical, like the achievement gap," Zimmerman said. "Parents, when they truly understand the public policy issues, discourse and accountability and outcomes, they are able to participate on a very different level. And in truth, they're able to offer views that are very helpful to rounding out public policy goals."

Zimmerman bristles at the perception that many parents, particularly those from low-income or minority backgrounds, aren't interested and aren't involved. The institute proves that's a myth, she said,. "If you teach the skills of democracy and change with respect, and when you show context for how to use it, parents come out of the woodwork, across race and class," she said.

So instead of the defeatist phrase "I'm just a parent," the institute's slogan is, "It's amazing what one parent can do."

Applications Welcomed

This fall, applications for the Alexandria institute are again slated to go home in student backpacks, and 25 new parents will be chosen.

Graduate Marilyn Bryant, who once felt out of place at the T.C. Williams PTA, will be interviewing applicants. Graduate Gloria Spottswood, who now serves on business and transportation groups in the West End, will help provide dinner. And Kimberly Neill, who organized a support network at her apartment complex for parents to pass on gently used toys, clothes and household items, will provide child care.

"They've discovered this sense of can do," Woodson said. "How cool is that?"

Fay Slotnick is accepting applications for this year's Parent Leadership Training Institute until mid-September. For more information, call 703-739-0233, e-mailinfo@plti-alex.orgor visithttp://www.plti-alex.org.