The Shelby County Office of Early Childhood and Youth has launched Ask First: Is it Good for the Children?, a campaign to make children and youth a top priority in Shelby County. This initiative promotes government and business policies that support children, and also sets the stage to engage parents more actively in their children’s education, a key Memphis Fast Forward strategy for improving student achievement in Shelby County.
The Shelby County-funded “social marketing” campaign asks citizens and organizations to consistently ask whether decisions are “good for the children.” This includes public policy and funding, but also the everyday decisions parents, businesses and churches make about how they might support children and youth.
Modeled after similar campaigns in Kansas City and Orlando, the awareness campaign is designed to help change culture throughout Shelby County. The campaign will be promoted through advertising, outreach and business partnerships, including a tool kit that lists free ways people can put children first.
One way is for parents and caregivers to support their children’s schooling. Research shows that parental engagement in their child’s education has a big positive impact on academic achievement. This campaign will help build awareness for how parents can help their children succeed in school.
For More Information Contact: Julie Coffey (901) 526-1822
Click here to learn more about Memphis Fast Forward news and progress.