Jennifer Garner stresses early education with US governors

WASHINGTON – Actress Jennifer Garner says growing up “surrounded by generational, rural poverty” in West Virginia inspired her to become an advocate for early-childhood education.

Garner spoke at a meeting of the National Governors Association on Saturday about programs that bring educators into the homes of low-income parents to help them get their kids ready for kindergarten. At one point, her microphone was cut off and she said, “It’s like the Oscars!”

Garner says kids who don’t come to school prepared face huge disadvantages later in life. She says she saw it growing up, when kids stopped showing up at school and “disappeared off the face of the earth.”

She says intervention can make a difference with parents who lack the resources to help their kids’ developing brains.