Whisnant receives ‘Children’s Champion’ award

Rep. Gene Whisnant (R-Sunriver) along with Rep. Andy Olson (R-Albany) and Senator Richard Devlin (D-Tualatin) received the Oregon of Alliance Children’s 2015 Champions Award at a ceremony on Frday.

Janet Arenz, Executive Director of Oregon Alliance of Children’s Programs, and Janet Hamada, Executive Director of the Next Door Children’s Center, presented the awards recognizing the legislators for achievements that positively affect children or children’s programs.

Rep. Whisnant has served on the Deschutes County Children & Families Commission and the State Commission on Children & Families.

In 2015, he worked with Rep. Joe Gallegos (D-Hillsboro) and other legislators to address the issue of students in poverty families and to improve English Language Learners (ELL) programs and chief sponsored legislation to help Oregon’s child abuse centers treat more children.

“It is an honor to receive this award from the Oregon Alliance of Children Programs,” said Rep. Whisnant. “The alliance staff provided me great help to move my legislation to help children in poverty and ELL children achieve education success.”

Rep. Whisnant commented, “Based upon my past work on the Children & Family Commissions and on the Oregon Advocacy Commission, I believe we must continue to do a better job of educating and helping students in poverty and ELL students.”