Getting Elgin Kids Ready to Succeed in School: Part 1

The Education Impact Council Members have been raising awareness of the importance of early childhood development and increasing access to services for parents and their children to improve young lives and ensure children come to school ready to succeed.

What we know…
By focusing on education, we are preparing children to enter and graduate school.  The chance of a child having a successful life radically increases when that child has a quality education and parents and care givers who are engaged as partners in preparing their children for school.

To accomplish our goal…
The Education Impact Council recognizes that it will take multiple strategies which include program funding, working together with schools, individuals and organizations to address unmet needs, and advocating for a quality education for all children in our community.

To measure our success…
The council identified several indicators to help monitor program success. The following are the program results for the past six months. See how your United Way gift is making a difference.

Increase the number of children participating in programs that reach their developmental milestones needed to enter kindergarten

• Easter Seals Du Page & Fox Valley Region, Early Intervention – 76 children with developmental challenges were provided early intervention services; 100% of parents have been educated on the milestones and know how to help their children; and 93% of the children have reached their developmental milestones.
• One Hope United, Elgin Child and Family Resource Center – 100% of 232 children are being observed by their classroom teachers to better understand their strengths, needs and interests.  With this information the teachers are helping children learn by planning engaging experiences that are responsive to the individual children.

Parents have access to quality childcare

• One Hope United, Elgin Child and Family Resource Center – 232 children attend the childcare program; 210 parents were assisted with applying for and received childcare state subsidy which allowed them to work or attend school in order to improve their financial situation.

Tune in tomorrow to find out some of our Special Initiatives that are also working toward early learning in the Elgin area.

Inspiring video about how Education programs can change the future

At United Way of Elgin, one of our three focus areas is Education. We want to change the future by being sure kids have education opportunities from birth to age 5 so they can enter kindergarten prepared to succeed. This inspiring video from The Ounce of Prevention shows the future without programs that invest in education, and then the future when children have programs that make the difference. Watch the video, and ask yourself if you are interested in investing. Read more about our Education Impact Programs here.

Every child deserves their own books

I still have a few of the best: Eloise, Goodnight Moon, Angelina Ballerina, Where the Wild Things Are. Some others I’ve misplaced, or were handed down to neighbor kids, or sold at garage sales. But I remember them clearly. I remember where my bookshelf sat in my room, and how it was so full that I ripped many covers off of the books taking them on and off the shelves. I loved my childhood books.

And the idea that some kids go without owning their own books makes me so sad; they are missing out on so much! And books are not only good for nostalgia and entertainment… reading books helps kids be prepared to learn once they enter kindergarten. In Elgin, 1 out of 3 children entering kindergarten aren’t prepared. And children who enter school well-prepared and ready to learn have a greater chance of succeeding.

So when Diane O’Connor at United Way of Elgin explained that the project she’s worked on for over a year is launching in February, I was ecstatic. United Way of Elgin is going to have Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library. Every child 0-5 in Elgin, South Elgin, LaFox, Hampshire or Burlington is eligible to sign up. The program will send them 1 age appropriate book every month from birth through 5 years old. Every child will have their own book library…how exciting.

And because of sponsors (Provena St. Joseph Hospital and Elgin Township), the program is completely free. It kicks off at the Gail Borden Public Library on February 22 from 1:30 to 4:30. The event includes storytellers, music, clowns and refreshments, and families will have the first chance to sign up.

Tell anyone you know with children who live in the area! For more info, click here.