HILLARY CLINTON TO RETURN TO ARKANSAS DAYS IN

SPEECH TO EDUCATION GROUP

New York (CNN) - Returning to her roots as Arkansas' first lady, Hillary Clinton will speak to an early childhood education organization that she first championed in the 1980s.

Clinton is scheduled to give the keynote address at the Home lnstruction for Parents of Preschool Youngsters (HIPPY) conference on April 28 at Gallaudet University in Washington as the group marks its 25th anniversary. While Bill Clinton was governar in Arkansas, his wife first observed the early education outreach program on a trip to Florida.

"She brought the concept to Arkansas as a way to help a very rural state get children ready for school," HIPPY USA Executive Director Lia Lent told CNN.

HIPPY staff visit the homes of at-risk 3- and 4-yearolds, training parents to get their children ready for school. The program operates 135 sites in 21 states and Washington.

Clinton has continued pursuing her interest in early childhood education in part through a "Too Small to Fail" initiative by her family's charitable arm, the Clinton Foundation. The program promotes and implements research geared toward helping children from birth to age 5.

Although Clinton can command large sums for speaking engagements, her HIPPY appearance will be unpaid.

CNN Senior Political Correspondent Brianna Keilar, April 3, 2014. Adapted

from:http://politicalticker.blogs .cnn.com/2014/04/03/first-on-cnn-hillary-

clinton-to-return-to-arkansas-days-in-speech-to-education-group/