"The world is a dangerous place, not because of those who do evil, but because of those who look on and do nothing."   This quote by Albert Einstein is inspirational for me when advocating for young children because if we do not stand up for what is right for young children the world will be a dangerous place.

What inspires and excites you most about your advocacy plan and being an advocate?

What excites me and inspires me the most is the fact that I am advocating for what I feel, based on research, is best practice for young children.  I feel that advocating for young children will have an impact not only on their lives but on our lives as we grow older.  If we do not stand up and provide the best education for these young children and advocate for what is best for them and their families, we will suffer in the end.  I am excited about making positive impacts in the lives of children with the changes that I am working on getting implemented for their educational future. 

What challenges and/or anxieties do you feel related to engaging in the advocacy efforts you have targeted?

One anxiety/challenge that I have regarding my advocacy efforts is making sure that I reach my target audience and find them supportive of my ideas.  I am concerned about providing them enough education about the impact of push-down or trickle-down academics on young children and helping them understand the negative impacts that it can have on a child's educational career.  Another anxiety that I have is my presentation.  I did present a brief overview of my plan to our advisory board but am still a little nervous about the big presentation and how it will be received.

What do you believe will be most effective in helping you overcome any challenging emotions you may be feeling with regard to presenting and implementing your Advocacy Action Plan?

I believe that presenting my plan to a smaller group of peers before my main presentation will help alleviate some emotions that I have regarding my presentation.  As far as implementing, I feel that by making the steps small and measurable I will be more successful so I need to be sure to have the steps laid out and easy for all to understand.

How can you encourage others in their advocacy efforts, and how can others encourage you?

I can encourage others by showing them that it is possible and that while there is a lot of work required, it is important to stand up for what you know and feel is right.  I think that just by seeing someone complete a plan and have some success with it, this would encourage others.  For others to encourage me I would like to hear honest feed back about my plan and what they feel would be beneficial changes to make sure it is a workable plan.