By Jenny Miller | Executive Director
Another school year off to a great (early!) start!
Educare Arizona has continued to make a positive impact on the lives of children and families in one of the most economically disadvantaged areas of Phoenix by providing exceptional early childhood education and family support services. Over the past year, Educare Arizona has made an impact in so many ways, including:
• Teaching! Educare Arizona's growing minds receive scientifically developed, thoughtful curriculum in social studies, reading, math, and more each year.
• Conducting a Literacy Program for children ages 0-5 years so they enter kindergarten with the skills to sustain their literacy development and learning gains throughout their academic careers. The program includes having parents establish a home-based reading routine to improve the students’ literacy skills, a key ingredient to a lifetime of learning.
• Familes, guardians and parents! Educare Arizona conducts regular educational sessions with parents and families on a variety of topics, including child development and parent involvement. Our school believes in a teamwork approach, and involving family makes a big impact in a child's success.
• Training! This year, dozens more parents will complete the CDA (Child Development Associate) Credentialing Program. The CDA Program improves families’ income by training parents and helping them find a job in the early education field. In addition, the program benefits their children by training parents how to teach young children, which helps them better tutor their children in the home, maintain a home reading program, help them with school projects, and increase involvement in their children’s education. Check out a photo below of a recent graduation ceremony.
• Nutrition! Preparing and serving 150,000 nutritious meals and snacks to the children served by Educare Arizona. These meals and snacks are critical to the children’s health, as some arrive at Educare Arizona hungry in the morning after having had no evening meal the night before due to the family’s financial condition.
• And more nutrition! Conducting nutrition education for students so they know the importance of eating fruits and vegetables and the components of a well-rounded meal. If you haven't seen these little learners at work in our garden, please try to arrange a tour: the children plant seeds and seedlings and then tend and harvest the food, which is used to prepare on-site meals and is given to the families to supplement their home meals. Feeling pride in their effort is more nourishment for their development.
• Creativity! Educare Arizona has regular arts activities, exploring painting, clay and other supplies to create artwork — which improves motor skills, decision-making, imaginative play, and other age-and-stage targeted skills.
Every day at Educare Arizona makes a difference -- in the lives of the students, but also the community at large: quality early childhood intervention has been proven to provide lasting improvements in academic, social, emotional, and economic health.
Please keep investing -- it's working! -- and don't hesitate to reach out if we can provide any information. Thank you for helping to grow health in kids.
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