Non-Profit Organization Seeks Volunteers to Play With Babies
From WPTV-NBC 5: “When the mothers go to work, volunteers usually help care for the babies.”
Jeff Vinik invests $3 million on early learning research in Hillsborough County
From Tampa Bay Times: “The investment is part of a growing business recognition that improving education for preschoolers helps build a more talented and prepared workforce.”
Florida’s re-opening requires support for our youngest learners
From Community News: “Florida and its business community must take several steps to ensure our early learning system survives the landscape upon which we are embarking.”
Waterford UPSTART: The Next Best Thing to Being There
From Early Learning Nation: “Why aren’t all four-year-olds in pre-K? For one thing, demand dwarfs supply, a result of budget shortfalls that persist despite the evidence that funding correlates with learning.”
Online pre-K may be better than nothing
From Sarasota Herald-Tribune: “There’s no such thing as online pre-K. Even though learning is happening, it can’t be what they can learn in a classroom.”
Without access to childcare, mothers struggle to rejoin labor force
From WPGL-Local 10: “Our child care industry was already in crisis before the pandemic, and we now face a potential disaster if child care is not prioritized.”
They’re considered essential, but child-care centers say state hasn’t done much to help
From Miami Herald: “While Florida has mandated that child care centers are ‘essential’ businesses, owners of child care centers feel they have been left behind.”
Opinion: Child care must become priority amid COVID-19
From Naples Daily News: “This isn’t only about parents having a safe place for their children to go while they work; this is about the future of Florida.”
Mark Wilson, David Lawrence: A too-hidden key to a more rapid recovery
From Florida Politics: “If we want people back to work quickly after COVID-19, child care must become a priority now.”
Vance Aloupis pushes state to provide child care for Florida’s first responders
From Florida Politics: “We must ensure that we are doing everything we can to support those men and women who are working each and every day to pull Florida through.”
Couple Works With Reading Pals Program, Makes a Difference
From Citrus County Chronicle: “Norma and Russ Brondyke, who have been mentoring in Citrus County schools for the past 26 years, added the “Reading Pals” program of United Way as one of their new assignments last year.”
Mentors Helping With Student Confidence
From Ocala StarBanner: “It helps encourage them so that they don’t shut down. We just need people who are willing to volunteer their time to come in and sit with kids to help them.”
Connecting Police With Kids in Need
From South Florida Sun Sentinel: “Not only can we help guide these young people to a place where they are fully empowered to ultimately stand tall as confident adults, but we also can build stronger bonds between law enforcement and the families and communities they serve.”
Orlando Barbers, Fathers Make Impact on Central Florida Community
From Click Orlando: “Every year, the barbers, who are also fathers, give away free haircuts to kids as they head back to school. They also donate tons of free backpacks with paper, pencils and other school supplies.”
Florida lawmakers throw support behind major pre-K reform bill
From Tampa Bay Times: “After almost 15 years, we will finally have the ability to know which pre-K programs are truly serving our children,” Aloupis said.
Give Florida families the high-quality pre-kindergarten that they voted for | Opinion
From The Miami Herald: “A genuine high-quality VPK program would have standards that are developmentally appropriate and measured in a way that incentivizes the best teaching practices.”
Volunteer To Help Kids Read
From Citrus County Chronicle: “One hour per week has the possibility to change a young life — and to change yours.”
Mentoring Matters: Mentor Uses Hip Hop To Help Teach A “Path” To Success
From CBS Miami: “The goal of ‘PATH’ is to inspire, educate and entertain, while challenging negative stereotypes and destructive behaviors often associated with hip hop culture.”
Head Start, Cade Museum promote male involvement
From The Gainesville Sun: “It was held for the second consecutive year to encourage fathers and other male figures in the lives of students in Head Start to help those kids understand the importance of getting a good education and being productive citizens.”
Clay County School raises grades with new mentor program
From Action News Jax: “Research shows that the more adults that speak into a child’s life, the more successful they’re going to be.”