A caregiver / instructor helps provide early childhood education lessions to young people during Arizona Kith and Kin Project class held in early November at Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church in Flagstaff. The 14-week program, which provides early childhood education information to caregivers, is one of a number of local programs availble for youth in the region. Photos by Frank X. Moraga / AmigosNAZ ©2014
Variety of programs available in Northern Arizona to help youth succeed in school, life
By Frank X. Moraga / AmigosNAZ
At first glance it seemed a bit out of place — a group of caregivers, parents and grandparents gaining parenting information in Spanish about car safety seats as they sat respectfully in the pews of Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church in Flagstaff.
But while the caregivers were getting these valuable skills, the children they usually take care of were having fun, playing games and most importantly, receiving early childhood learning skills directly below in the Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church Cultural Center, aka “The Basement.”
The caregivers and the children were brought together by the Arizona Kith and Kin Project, presented by the Association for Supported Child Care and funded by the First Things First Coconino Regional Partnership Council.
It is one of a number of free or low-cost programs available to caregivers and children in the region.
Kith and Kin is seeking to educate caregivers on the value of providing quality early childhood education, something that pays dividends for children later in life with increase reading skills, improved high-school graduation rates, a successful transition to college and eventually a well-paying and rewarding career, organizers reported.
Research shows that 80 percent of a child’s brain is formed by the age of three, more than 90 percent by the age of five, First Things First reported.
The data also show there is a growing need for such services in the region. There are 9,723 children age birth to 5 in Coconino County, according to the 2014 Coconino Regional First Things First Needs and Assets Report.
Amanda Green, front left, leads a class in Spanish on proper child safety seat installation during a November meeting of the Arizona Kith and Kin Project at Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church in Flagstaff.
Kith and Kin, a statewide program, has been serving the northern Arizona region for about four years, said Cynthia Pardo, community outreach coordinator in Coconino County for First Things First.
In supporting Kith and Kin, “First Things First decided to fund a strategy that supported childcare providers who took care of children in their own home,” she said. “Our own Needs and Assets research shows most children are taken care of by family members, friends and neighbors at home.”
“Over 50 percent of kids are in this type of setting, not in a childcare center but at home,” Pardo said.
This patchwork of childcare in the home provides a tremendous opportunity for young people to gain quality early education skills needed to help them succeed in school, she said.
The program rotates to different locations each year, Pardo said. The church was selected for its access to the city’s Spanish-speaking population.
A caregivers / instructor teaches early childhood learning skills courtesy of the Arizona Kith and Kin Project.
In the Coconino Region, Hispanics make up 14 percent of the population and 27 percent of the children ages birth to 4 years of age, according to the 2014 Coconino Regional First Things First Needs and Assets Report.
“The church was a wonderful partner for this program,” Pardo said. “It recognized our program’s cultural sensitivity and our efforts to try to reach parents and families so they feel supported and prepared.”
Previous classes were held this year at the Living Christ Lutheran Church in Doney Park in east Flagstaff, along with a program held in the Hopi village of Tewa.
Upon completion of the 14-week program, participants are invited back for a special gathering.
Amanda Green answers a question in Spanish on how to properly install a child car safety seat.
“After each class, the Kith and Kin project hosts a Health and Safety Training Day to cover topics on nutrition and obesity prevention, crib / safe sleep, and other areas of home and environment safety,” Pardo said. “They also receive materials to support safe and quality environments such as cribs, first-aid kits, toys and tools for children’s learning and other home safety materials. The Flagstaff Kith and Kin class plans to hold its training event in January with participants from the Coconino and Yavapai region.”
Future Kith and Kin classes and locations in Northern Arizona are dependent on grant funding opportunities, Pardo said.
“However, there are also a number of other resources in the community and that is why it’s important to involve our community and our leaders” to share information and resources, she said.
The Coconino County Public Health Services District provides crib safety and child safety seat programs, Pardo said.
The county’s Maternal, Child, and Teen Health Program offers two- to six-session “Active Parenting of Teens” classes for parents of teens and tweens, the county reported on its website.
For rural communities in the region, the Association for Supported Child Care offers “Growing Up Great Parent Education,” a program that provides education and support to parents to help their children ages birth to 5 grow up to be socially, emotionally and cognitively ready to achieve in school and life. The program is funded by First Thing First and the Coconino Regional Partnership Council.
Caregivers / instructors teach early childhood learning skills courtesy of the Arizona Kith and Kin Project.
First Things First also supports Parenting Arizona’s “Parents As Teachers,” a home visitation program that provides similar topics and information as the Kith & Kin program to support parents at their home to be their child’s first teacher, Pardo said.
“For families looking for childcare, (First Things First) funds Quality First, and works with childcare centers to improve their quality of education,” Pardo said. “We also provide childcare tuition scholarships for low-income families” through the program.
“We are here to help support and partner with families to help them make the best choices for their families and get their kids ready for kindergarten,” she said.
Early education opportunities available
- First Things First is a statewide organization seeking to ensure all children, 5 years old and younger are healthy and prepared to enter kindergarten. For more information about First Things First and funded programs in the Coconino Region, visit http://www.azftf.gov/RC003/Pages/Default.aspx
- For information on Quality First, visit www.QualityFirstAZ.com
- For early childhood health and safety training and resources, contact the Association for Supportive Child Care at ectc@asccaz.org or call 928-714-1716
- For carseat safety information, call Coconino County Public Health District at 928-679-7222
- For information on the Maternal, Child, and Teen Health Program’s “Active Parenting of Teens” sessions, call 928-679-7272
- For other resources for early childhood and youth in the Coconino area, visit www.CoconinoKids.org