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Last Updated: 03/04/2005
The Rockbridge Report is produced
under the supervision of the Dept. of Journalism and Mass Communications
at Washington and Lee University.
Reporting supervisors: Prof. Doug Cumming
Technical supervisor: |
Even Start program must prove
its worth to keep grant By Leah Kershaw The countdown is on to find enough families in Rockbridge County to participate in the Even Start program to keep federal funding. Rockbridge County schools currently have about $225,000 in federal money to fund a new preschool program. But at least nine more families must sign up for the program by March 10 if the county wants to keep that money. Even Start uses a multifaceted approach to encourage family literacy. In addition to a daily preschool program, Even Start provides parenting and adult education classes. The preschool program is offered Monday through Friday at Fairfield Elementary school. Participation in the program is free and transportation can be provided; however each family must have an adult attend the education program three days a week. The adult education program, held in a church close to Fairfield Elementary school, runs simultaneously with the preschool program and includes workplace skills training and GED preparation. January, a mother who preferred not to have her last name published, found out about the Even Start program from a flyer in Wal-Mart. January, a mother of three, enrolled her 4-year-old son Buddy in Even Start because she wanted him to go to a preschool. She graduated from high school and said that she doesn’t mind having to complete the adult education program. She was laid off from her job and is hoping that the work skills program will provide her with the skills to get a well-paying job with flexible hours. Linda White, the coordinator of Rockbridge County schools Even Start program, said that she is optimistic about the program’s success. According to a recent survey, 29 percent of Rockbridge County adults over the age of 25 did not graduate from high school or earn their GED. White said that Even Start targets the children of these individuals to provide a more nurturing educational environment. Family literacy is encouraged through the use of a daily activity entitled Parents and Children Together. White said that during PACT time, families interact through activities including art and reading. She said that staff members use this time to model appropriate behavior between children and adults. The goal of PACT is to “encourage family literacy that will carry over into home life,” said White. Stacie Wheeler, Even Start’s preschool instructor, said that it is important for parents to “get down on their children’s level” and provide positive reinforcement during interactive play.” By observing January and Buddy in the classroom, it is clear that they interact in an intellectually stimulating manner. Buddy is cheerful and excited about the attention that he receives from both from his teacher and his mother. Buddy brings puzzle after puzzle to his mother’s side and together they complete them. “Is this the right spot Buddy?” and “What is the name of this fruit?” are examples of questions that January constantly asks to challenge Buddy. Wheeler said that Buddy’s language skills are well-developed and it that is clear that January has been working with Buddy at home. Wheeler said that her goal is provide children with the language skills that are essential to early childhood development. “A lot of children that come here have parents that don’t have their GED and consequently (both the parent’s and children) have low language skills,” she said. Wheeler said that she tries to increase the children’s language skills through one-on-one interaction and interactive play with puzzles and games. Amie Manis, the parenting education teacher for Even Start, said that she works with parents to develop skills relating to their child’s communication abilities and development. She said that these skills enable parents to better support their child’s vocabulary development. White said that by working with both children and their parents, Even Start’s goal is to give children the skills and education to be comparable to their classmates when they start school. As Buddy shines under the attention from his teacher, January is being challenged by Teresa Glassman, the adult education coordinator, to define her goals for the work skills program. Glassman said that she tailors the program to provide parents with the exact skills they want to learn. Although it can be challenging for her to accommodate all of the parents’ needs, Glassman said that the program is rewarding because “it makes people feel like they’ve accomplished something.” The program is in danger of losing its funding if it does not show tangible results. Even Start is funded with an initial federal grant of $224,180 and funding will continue through 2008. However, White said that she is under pressure from the state to show documented progress of the program. Currently, five families are participating in Even Start, which began in November. She said that if the program does not have 16 families participating by March 10, there is a risk that funding for the program will be discontinued. |