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If you can't bring children's issues to politicians, you can bring the politicians to the children. We thought a bus tour would be the easiest way to show candidates how children are faring in Colorado. We need the candidates to see what "child well being" really means for themselves. We chartered a bus and organized a tour for all the Denver, CO area political candidates and elected officials.
 Since our focus was on children's health, education, and early care, we visited several facilities: the Inner City Health Center, Family Star Montessori, Greenlee K-8, and the Tennyson Center for Children. At all the stops, candidates toured the facility, talked with staff, met children, and were briefed on issues affecting the children and the operations at each site.
At the Inner City Health Center, the candidates were able to see both the good and the bad of a health clinic. They saw how families who have no insurance must struggle with high health care costs. And they met dedicated staff and volunteers who selflessly devoted their time to helping these families.
 At Family Montessori the candidates learned how beneficial it is for young children to grow up with early childcare and education under their belt. The directors surprised evryone when telling us that the children are all learning two different languages.
At the Greenlee elementary school we witnessed the trials and tribulations of a public school. A briefing took place in the tiny faculty lounge in a dilapidated building, where it was at least 110 degrees (no air conditioning). We toured several summer school classes and learned that the public school administration has had to make cuts to classes every summer.
 We ended our tour at the Tennyson Center for Children, visiting all the classrooms and residential centers. The candidates and elected officials completed their day with a discussion on how each one of them could help children. By the looks of it, they seemed ready to fight for children's issues!
This was a great success in bringing public officials face-to-face with children's issues that we work so hard to get them to champion.
Every Child Matters-Colorado would like to thank
the Inner City Health Center, Family Star Montessori, Greenlee K-8, and
the Tennyson Center for Children for opening up their doors and showing
us what it's like to be in their shoes for a day. We would also like to
thank our partners, the Colorado Children's Campaign and Great Education
Colorado, for all the long hours spent ensuring that the tour went on without a hitch.
-Matt Elder, ECM Colorado
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