Jennifer Garner’s appearance at the governor’s State of the State address proved that even lawmakers can get a little star struck.

The Hollywood actress took her seat behind Gov. Joe Manchin’s family Wednesday night in the House Chamber at the Capitol Complex just before the bell and gavel sounded.

The chamber immediately was buzzing with whispers of excitement.

Garner, 37, who grew up in Charleston, attended the event in support of the Save the Children program, for which she serves as an artist ambassador.

Garner, the wife of actor Ben Affleck and the mother of two small girls, got involved in Save the Children’s U.S. programs last year and unveiled the organization’s State of the World Mother’s Report in 2009. It showed that two-thirds of the nation’s fourth graders are reading below grade level.

She called for President Barack Obama and Congress to provide $2 billion in additional funding for early childhood education programs. Garner read to children in a Head Start program in Washington, D.C. before heading to Capitol Hill to meet with several national leaders on the matter.

Manchin said during his address that 49 percent of this state’s fourth graders were reading below grade level. He said he planned to direct $1 million in state monies to fund the program in rural counties around the state.

“We look forward to working with Save the Children to help move our state and our nation forward,” the governor said.

Garner said after the speech that she hoped the program would help the children of the state reach their potential.

“There is such a need here, and there is so much unmet potential right here in West Virginia,” she said.

“The cycle of poverty in this state is going on for generations and generations and generations, and we hope we can provide a new energy to help the kids reach their true potential and avoid that.

“The kids here are just as smart as any of the kids in the country.”

She said helping children show the world what they can do is a top priority for her.

“Literacy is the most important thing you can give a child. If you can teach them to read, they can do anything,” Garner said.

The governor toured several Save the Children programs in eastern Kentucky and saw firsthand how a little bit of extra attention can make a difference in a child’s life, according to a press statement Garner handed to a reporter.

The statement described Save the Children’s U.S. programs as “public-private partnerships that have a strong track record of boosting reading scores and teaching kids to lead healthy lifestyles.”

It goes on to say, “Our after-school reading program for elementary school kids boosted the percentage of children reading at or above grade level by 42 percent in just nine months.”

The actress said the state would fund three locations and Save the Children would raise money to fund an additional three. Children will be provided with books and other resources to make reading fun for even the smallest readers.

She said the money would stay in the state because workers employed by the program would be from the communities where the program is established.

“This way everyone gets the most bang for their buck,” she said.

After the speech, delegates, senators and guests jockeyed for Garner’s attention and the chance to have pictures taken with her. Space was tight and the crowd was large, but Garner smiled and accommodated the photo seekers.

Gregory Gray, clerk of the House of Delegates, was among those who had a photo made with Garner, who is one of the actors featured in the upcoming movie, “Valentine’s Day.”

Gray said he knows Garner’s parents and ran into them while leaving a performance of “Peter Pan” at the Clay Center in November. Gray said the Garners mentioned that Jennifer and her daughter Violet, 4, were taking French lessons. Gray has a degree in French.

“I think it’s great that she’s taking a class with her daughter,” he said.

He said Garner’s involvement in the children’s program was a cause no one could be against.

Garner was accompanied by Mark Shriver, vice president and managing director of Save the Children’s U.S. programs.

Shriver, son of Sargent Shriver and the late Eunice Kennedy Shriver and brother of California’s first lady, Maria Shriver, is a former member of the Maryland House of Delegates.

He has worked on behalf of children’s programs for more than 17 years and also served as Maryland’s first Chair of the Joint Committee on Children, Youth and Families.

“I’m very excited that the governor is taking an interest in the program,” Shriver said. “His interest and the funding toward the program, especially in these tough economical times, is great.”

Shriver said the funds would be spent on improving literacy programs in rural parts of the state. He said Sen. Corey Palumbo, D-Kanawha, talked to him about introducing the program to the governor.

Garner, a high school classmate and close friend of Palumbo, told the senator about the program late last summer.

“I think it’s a great program and that it’s got tremendous benefits for West Virginia,” Palumbo said.

The senator said he was thrilled about the governor’s plan to allocate funding for the program and said the areas to receive the money still are being determined but likely will be rural.

Palumbo said he knew nothing of Save the Children until Garner approached him and provided him with information.

“The more I learned about the program, the more excited I got,” Palumbo said.

Source: http://www.dailymail.com