United Way grants help children

unitedAwardsInside:
Fourteen Child Development Services teachers with the Kern County Superintendent of Schools Office respond happily to receiving United Way minigrants.
Preparing preschool children for their future education is getting a helping hand from the United Way of Kern County. Fourteen teachers employed by the Kern County Superintendent of Schools' Child Development Services were recipients of United Way minigrants at the annual Kern County Superintendent of Schools' Child Development Services orientation, held on Aug. 25 at the Beale Memorial Library in Bakersfield.

According to Linda Hudson, Child Development Services director, "These were first ever minigrants made possible by Kern County Superintendent of Schools' staff payroll deductions to United Way designated for the Kern Child Development Foundation. The minigrants were the brainchild of Lettie Lemay, our foundation treasurer. To be eligible, each teacher had to write a grant detailing how they would use the funds to improve or enhance classroom environments to meet the Department of Education Child Development Division's Desired Results for Children Assessment and/or the Early Childhood Environmental Rating Scale."

Minigrants were allotted in individual $250 and $100 amounts to recipients by Lemay and foundation accountant Gail Ramos. Receiving $250 minigrants were Maria Guerra - Rexland Acres State Preschool, Susan Martinez - Greenfield State Preschool, Patricia Ramirez - Richland Child Development Center and Teresia Paca - Fairgrounds State Preschool. Those honored with $100 minigrants were Traci Rueda - Downtown Child Development Center, Rosita Hernandez - Downtown Child Development Center, Cynthia Sepulveda - Richland Child Development Center, Rosalinda Arroyo - Fairgrounds State Preschool, Cindy Douhan - Downtown Child Development Center, Veronica Torres - Lamont Child Development Center, Linda Hollingsworth - Shafter State Preschool, Mary Duarte - Ming Avenue Child Development Center, Linda Mickle - Lamont Child Development Center and Gena Bowles - Weldon State Preschool.

Hudson said some of the classroom projects for which the grants would be used included literacy action, math and reading components, dramatic play production, science learning and photos for child record portfolios. There will also be a follow up program in which foundation board members will make site visits in January "to see first hand how the minigrants were implemented in each classroom."

The minigrant presentations were a part of the daylong orientation attended by 145 Child Development Services employees. The program included remarks by Kern County Superintendent of Schools Larry E. Reider on developments in government affecting child care. Assistant Superintendent of Educational Services John Lindsay talked about the teachers' role in preparing children for kindergarten, and Child Development and Family Services Administrator Steve Sanders stressed ways of operating on a lean budget.

County office Food and Nutrition Services Manager Brenda Robinson brought the group up to date on food programs, and nurse Lynn Myers spoke about health issues. Retired county office Special Education Programs Coordinator Judy Chapman delivered the keynote address on proactive child discipline titled "Be Safe, Be Kind, Be Responsible."
Print This Page   Email This Page