Jennifer Garner stresses early education at meeting with U.S. governors
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Actress Jennifer Garner addresses the National Governors Association Winter Meeting about early education, in Washington, Saturday, Feb. 25, 2017. (AP Photo/Cliff Owen)
Actress Jennifer Garner spoke at a meeting of the National Governors Association on Saturday, saying that growing up "surrounded by generational, rural poverty" in West Virginia inspired her to become an advocate for early-childhood education.
Garner spoke about programs that help bring educators into low-income homes and assist them in preparing children for kindergarten.
Garner’s microphone was cut off at one point and she joked that it was “like the Oscars!”
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The actress stressed that children who aren’t prepared for school can face disadvantages later on in life. She says she saw when kids stopped showing up at school when she was growing up and they "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.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.