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The National Smart Start Conference is the nation's largest conference devoted to early education systems and strategies.  Lindsay Dolce and Sarah Paterson were invited to speak on Early Learning Ventures' Healthy Options for Preschoolers (HOP) program, a ground-breaking initiative designed to tackle the increasing obesity rates in young children birth to 5, and the structure and outcomes of an ELV Alliance. To view the presentations, please click here.
 
Smart Start is North Carolina's early childhood infrastructure. Smart Start local partnerships serve as a system to convene stakeholders to assess local needs; ensure accountability; and leverage community, state and federal resources. Local partnerships have established community networks that bridge education, health services, and family supports to best meet the needs of young children and their families. In 1998, Smart Start won the Innovations in American Government award from Harvard University and Ford Foundation.