10:06am: Talkline with Hoppy Kercheval

Kids Count data shows another year of improvement in WV child poverty

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — West Virginia currently ranks 42nd nationwide in the overall economic well-being of children, which is up from 44th overall the previous year, according to the 2021 data book released Tuesday from West Virginia Kids Count.

“We are moving in a positive direction,” said Tricia Kingery, executive director of WV Kids Count.

Poverty is still the biggest challenge among low ranking counties in southern West Virginia.

“Putnam County usually ranks right up at the top and and southern West Virginia is where we continue to struggle,” Kingery said.

The state saw further gains in education for children as more high school seniors graduate on time.

“High school students not graduating on time has continued to improve so our teachers and communities are really lifting students up,” Kingery said.

Kid Count on Tuesday launched a statewide child well-being improvement plan aimed that could help drive decisions to improve the quality of life for West Virginia’s children.

The plan is called Launching West Virginia’s Kids Into the Future.

Kingery said it counties can be compared to one another and to the rest of the state. The information can also be used for graphs, chart and reports for legislative action, grant proposals and more.

“We want to make the data not only non-threatening, but easy to use because the data is key to helping drive decisions to help West Virginia’s kids,” she said.

The Kids Count Data Book looks at four domains including education, health, economic well-being and family/community.

“What we’re doing is creating a task force around each of those domains to let the indicators drive our work because that’s ultimately what ranks us,” Kingery said.

West Virginia Kids Count presented its annual Champion of Children awards Tuesday. The list included:

  • Education Champion of Children — Aimee Figgatt, Education and Outreach Specialist for the West Virginia Conservation Agency
  • The Health Champion of Children — Dr. Jamie Jeffrey, pediatrician and Clinical Associate Professor of Pediatrics at WVU School of Medicine-Charleston Division
  • The Economic Well-Being Champion of Children — Brandon Dennison, Founder and CEO of Coalfield Development
  • The Family and Community Champion of Children — Robert “Bobby” Nicholas, 25 years of service to WV, fundraising experience with WVU Medicine, serving for Mission of Miracles and The Miami Project. Curated the annual All-American Grand Bash donating over $2.4 million to regional hospitals and affiliated foundations.
  • The Overall Champion of Children — Emily Calandrelli, host and co-executive producer of the hit Netflix series Emily’s Wonder Lab, writer of chapter book series “The Ada Lace Adventures”




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