Success By 6 Summer Program Helps Parish Youth

Submitted article

Pre-schoolers in the Parish area are preparing to make the transition to kindergarten as successful as possible thanks to the United Way’s Success By 6 pre-K Summer Program.

Administered by the individual schools, the Success By 6 Pre-K Summer Program is in each of the 9 school districts in Oswego County and has total of 15 classrooms.  The Summer Program features a well rounded curriculum which includes special guest readers, a sun safety program taught by the Oswego County Cooperative Extension, and basic social skills such as how to sit and pay attention and how to properly conduct yourself in a school environment.

Ms. Godfrey, a teaching assistant with special programs in the APW School District, sees the Success By 6 pre-K Summer Program as an important first step in children’s educational experience.  “Our children will be our leaders in the future.  Every year standards are increasing and children need to know more at a younger age.  The Success By 6 Summer pre-K Program is important in that it provides children with a head start so that they don’t fall behind,” said Godfrey.

According to Program Coordinator, Bonnie Holmes, the Success By 6 pre-K Summer Program has been well received by both the children and the teachers.  “The school districts and the teachers recognize that it is an excellent learning program.  It is designed to properly prepare children with the tools and skills they need to succeed when they begin kindergarten and implemented in a way that is educational and fun for the children,” she said.

Holmes said that while the goal is the same, each district achieves it a little differently.  In Parish, Ms. Godfrey’s class is involved in a number of learning experiences including: making greeting cards for residents of area nursing homes; learning about the importance of sun safety and creating bracelets that will change color when exposed to the sun; and making special books about themselves and what they are learning that they can take home at the end of the program.  “I enjoy meeting the children and preparing them for their first day of kindergarten.  I want them to love school and learning as much as I do,” added Godfrey.

Supported by the United Way, the Success By 6 program strives to increase the effectiveness of the community to meet the needs of children up to age six and their families.  By sharing information and exploring new collaborations for service delivery, Success By 6 seeks to mobilize resources to ensure all children are physically, socially, emotionally and behaviorally able to learn when entering school.

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