If there's one thing you can count on from Jennifer Garner, it's an educated and passionate take on the topics that affect her the most. One of those is education for children, with the actress having devoted much of the past 17 years working with the nonprofit organization Save the Children. As a mom-of-three, the topic of infrastructure and resources for children in need hits very close to home, and she shared her deeper appreciation for educators while being named Honored's Advocate for Teachers.
The star, 53, was named by the nonprofit as the inaugural recipient of their award. Per a press release from Honored, it "recognizes a public figure who consistently uses their platform to uplift teachers and advocate for the issues that educators face," with Jennifer selected "for her ongoing dedication to celebrating the educators who shaped her and for her tireless advocacy on behalf of children, families, and teachers nationwide."
© Getty ImagesJennifer spoke about her own childhood for the nonprofit's podcast, Inspired Teachers: The Honored Podcast, crediting her elementary school librarian and her ballet teacher growing up in rural Virginia for instilling a sense of discipline and a love of learning in her. She also credited her librarian, in particular, for helping her discover an individuality as the middle child in her family, as well as helping her write her very first children's book as a young girl.
The release further adds: "Beyond her personal tributes, Garner has also been a tireless advocate for early childhood education. As a longtime Save the Children Trustee, she has visited rural communities across America to listen to families and advocate for federal and state policy changes to strengthen early learning opportunities, Head Start programs, and support for teachers."
On the podcast, the 13 Going on 30 star passionately spoke about her work with Save the Children, saying she'd met some of "the most incredible people on the planet," who're teachers in America. She even notes seeing many of those examples in the teachers her three kids had. Jennifer shares Violet, 19, Fin, 16, and Samuel, 13, with ex-husband Ben Affleck.
© Getty Images"I mean, my kids have had just one incredible teacher after another," she explained. "But my kids are in a really lucky situation…and still I'm amazed by what those teachers do." She praised the teachers and principals that were leading their schools with compassion, and specifically noted her experiences in communities affected by the opioid crisis, where teachers were adopting kids.
© Getty Images"I've seen these teachers just taking kids in, pulling them aside, putting them in fresh clothes, washing their clothes while the kid's in school and then sending them home in fresh clothes," Jennifer continued, noting other examples and expounding on how much teachers came through for kids in "crisis," especially because they would "do anything" to get to school because "school equalled food, school equalled safety, school equalled her beloved teacher."
© Getty ImagesKatherine Boone, Co-Founder of Honored, shared in a statement: "At Honored, we believe every teacher's story deserves to be told. Jennifer Garner has long used her voice to elevate the teachers who shaped her and to advocate for educators everywhere."
