Starting Kindergarten can be a time filled with excitement, but it can also make kids feel nervous. Thanks to our local Kindergarten Countdown Camp, during the 2014 summer 26 youngsters are better prepared to start school ready to succeed.
Kindergarten Countdown Camp helps children who have little or no preschool experience or who are identified as being at risk of having trouble in school transition successfully into kindergarten ready to learn. By attending this seven-week summer camp, children gain valuable academic and social experience in a classroom setting. They also increase their readiness for reading, which is critical for entering Kindergarten.
Ashley Schoolman, Community Initiative Assistant Director at United Way, spoke about the importance of the camp, “Kindergarten Countdown provides a valuable opportunity for kids to gain the skills needed to succeed in school in a realistic classroom setting while participating in seven weeks of fun, engaging activities.”
In Indiana, only 40% of all children between the ages of 3 and 4 attend preschool or nursery school. This is worse than the 46% national average. The research is clear that children with less exposure to the social-emotional skills and literacy concepts needed for kindergarten are prone to start and stay behind their more-prepared classmates. Children from low-income households are even more likely to not attend preschool and enter Kindergarten ready to learn. In Indiana, only 30% of children living in low-income households attend preschool.
For the past four years, United Way has provided Kindergarten Countdown scholarships for dozens of low-income children. This summer, United Way sponsored 12 children who would not otherwise have had the opportunity to be part of the readiness camp. We are proud to partner with IU Health and the Monroe County Community School Corporation to make this experience and to ensure these young students are on the path to enter and succeed in Kindergarten this fall.
Early learning and succeeding in school at all levels is important. That’s why United Way focuses energy in programs like Let’s Read, Born Learning, Monroe Smart Start, and Real Men Read. By creating opportunities for children of all ages, United Way supporters are providing a foundation for our youth to become productive and engaged adults in the community.