EHE News
David Andrews accepts 2007 National Family Advocacy Award
At the award ceremony are Randal C. Morrison,
executive director of Godman Guild, left; Gene Harris, superintendent of Columbus City Schools; David W. Andrews, recipient of the
National Family Advocacy Award; and
Tei Street, director of Mayor Coleman's
Office of Education.
Dean David W. Andrews has received the 2007 National Family Advocacy Award presented by the Godman Guild Association of Columbus.
"Dr. David Andrews has recognized the pressing need for early childhood care and education to serve the Weinland Park neighborhood," said Randal C. Morrison, executive director of Godman Guild.
Morrison, along with Guild board president Michael Boggs, president of Huntington Banks, presented the award at a ceremony held at The Ohio State University's Schoenbaum Family Center at Weinland Park.
Morrison said, "With his extraordinary passion, vision, and leadership, Dr. Andrews brought the Schoenbaum Family Center to the community to fulfill the pressing need for early childhood care and education. We truly appreciate his commitment to partnering with us for the long-term benefit of the community."
A nationally recognized researcher, Andrews guided the building of the university's new early childhood laboratory school east of the Columbus campus. In the Weinland Park neighborhood, the unemployment rate is greater than 15 percent, more than 50 percent of the residents live below the poverty limit, and 38 percent lack a high school diploma. More than half of the total neighborhood families are headed by mothers with children under 18.
The Schoenbaum Family Center serves as the cornerstone of the university's partnership with the community. It provides training for university students in best practices in early care and education while faculty research strategies for aiding economically challenged neighborhoods, starting with child and family success and well-being.
In addition to its preschool programs for children ages birth through pre-kindergarten, the Schoenbaum Family Center offers educational programs in nutrition, parenting, and family financial management, and promotes child literacy through family reading programs. Also at the center, the Godman Guild staff provides family advocacy services, connecting families to workforce development, housing, and education.
Andrews has been dean of the College of Education and Human Ecology since July 2006 when he led the creation of the new college. Prior to that, he was interim dean of the College of Education as well as dean of the College of Human Ecology, and prior to that, director of 4-H Youth Development at Ohio State and faculty in the Department of Human Development and Family Science.
The National Family Advocacy Award is presented annually in central Ohio by the Godman Guild, a member of the Alliance for Children and Families. Each Alliance member organization recognizes one individual annually who has significantly contributed to state and local advocacy efforts on behalf of vulnerable children and families. The award is given during National Family Week, which was established by federal and state of Ohio proclamations as being the week of Thanksgiving.
xhtml | css | 508 © 2008 The Ohio State University - College of Education and Human Ecology. All Rights Reserved.
If you have trouble accessing this page and need to request an alternate format, contact the webmaster.