Steve Nash: Quality Early Learning For Little MVPs

Thanks to the support of people like you, more than 1,000 young people and families are getting ahead in life instead of falling behind early – a feat that resets their futures and stays with them for decades.

On August 1, Educare Arizona marks some key milestones that highlight its impact on children, families, educators and the community.  On that date, Educare Arizona will welcome its sixth class of children; in that class of 191 will be the 1,000th student Educare has served since opening its doors five years ago.

The impact of Educare Arizona doesn’t end with children. Also in August, Educare Arizona will welcome a group of new educators seeking their Child Development Assistant designation. In that group will be the 400th teacher that Educare Arizona has trained in its five-year history, establishing it as a local hub for training educators in early childhood education.

“The milestones we are celebrating this summer demonstrate that high quality early childhood experiences like Educare Arizona can make a permanent difference in the life of a child who might otherwise find his or her potential limited by life circumstances,” said Lisa Fernandez, Chief Development Officer for Educare Arizona. “And Educare Arizona isn’t just about changing the paths of children. Our teacher training programs have been so successful that they are being shared with other Educare facilities across the country."

World-renowned economists have demonstrated that when parents and caregivers provide enriching environments for our youngest learners, the benefits far outweigh the cost. Without a high-quality early education, underserved children who are most at risk for academic failure are also:
            • 50% more likely to be placed in special education
            • 25% more likely to drop out of school
            • 40% more likely to become a teen parent
            • 70% more likely to be arrested for a violent crime
 
Children who experience Educare for a full five years arrive at elementary school performing on par with average kindergarteners, regardless of socio-economic standing, research shows and Educare children have more extensive vocabularies and are better able to recognize letters, numbers and colors than their peers. And early findings indicate the gains Educare children make hold as they move through elementary school, and beyond.  That means a healthier, brighter, more productive workforce, and economy.

As Steve says, "there's nothing more powerful than a child having access to high-quality early learning opportunities.  There's not a more worthwhile pursuit, not only for that individual or his or her family, but for our communities."

To learn more about Educare Arizona and why the Steve Nash Foundation is invested in its success, come in for a visit, or visit www.stevenash.org or www.educarearizona.org.  Thank you for your support of Educare Arizona — your contribution will help grow health in more than 1,000 children and families!

Links:

• Educare Arizona
• The Steve Nash Foundation