United Way of Northern Arizona (UWNA) — Elevate PreK Seeking Students

by Community Contributor • June 21, 2024 • Comments Off

Elevate PreK Begins 4th Year

Elevate PreK, the highly successful initiative that provides free, year-round, high-quality preschool education to 4-year-olds, is seeking students for the upcoming academic year.

The program was developed as part of the LAUNCH Flagstaff initiative at United Way of Northern Arizona. After completing a three-year pilot program through Candelen, Elevate PreK will continue its fourth year through UWNA.

“UWNA knows that early childhood development lays the foundation for all future learning, behavior, and health,” said UWNA President & CEO Liz Archuleta. “The experience children have in their first five will have a profound impact on their ability to succeed in school, work, and life.

The preschool class, which has a maximum enrollment of 18 students, is housed at Evergreen Academy Preschool in Flagstaff.

Designed to provide equitable access to high-quality early education, Elevate PreK is open to 4-year-old children in households that have incomes between 101% and 250% of the federal poverty level.

“The whole point of Elevate PreK is to provide the highest quality pre-school experience, free of tuition, to make it easier for families to live and thrive in Flagstaff,” said Beth Giacalone, Program Director – Northern Arizona at Candelen. “It’s a full-day program so that families can work or go to school. It’s very responsive to families’ needs.”

Elevate PreK is a collective impact program, pulling together multiple partners to create systemic changes. One partner is Building Community LLC, which acts as a family liaison throughout the year, calling families of children in the program and offering support and help with wraparound services.

In addition to providing proven curriculum for cognitive development and social/emotional growth, Elevate PreK students participate in extracurricular activities through its partnership with Evergreen Academy Preschool, including soccer and dance classes. Lowell Observatory staff have supported Elevate PreK by providing materials and professional development to teachers so they can provide high-quality STEM experiences.

Ultimately, UWNA and its partners envision the Elevate PreK model to serve as the template for providing free, high-quality preschool for everyone.

Elevate PreK is made possible by funding from United Way of Arizona, the Wharton Foundation, the Arizona Community Foundation, the City of Flagstaff, the Coconino County Board of Supervisors, Coconino County Educational Service Agency, Desert Financial Credit Union, and PNC Bank.

Families interested in learning more about Elevate PreK, including whether they qualify for this free service, should call Building Community at 928.326.8104 for more information.