Anderson students present Christmas program

The Anderson Early Childhood gymnasium was filled last week as family and friends gathered to see pre-kindergarten and kindergarten students present their annual holiday programs, directed by music teacher Ginger Cunningham. Everyone enjoyed the children’s rendition of Christmas songs and the movements that went along with them, especially the crowd favorite, “I want a Hippopotamus for Christmas.”

United Way Invests $8,521 in Haywood County's Early Childhood Education Program
 

Mary Deaton (center), principal of Anderson Early Childhood Center, receives a $8,521 for Haywood County's new pre-k classrooms. Presenting the check are (left) Ted Moore, chairman of the board for United Way of West Tennessee, and (right) Barry Matthews, president/CEO for United Way.

“One, two buckle my shoe” is the beginning of a familiar rhyme most of us learned growing up. As children, we thought it was a fun little song to sing. It never crossed our minds that we were actually learning how to count.

It is rhymes like this and the efforts of community partners that are helping our children be prepared to start school. To broaden the impact of local pre-kindergarten efforts, United Way of West Tennessee has announced its Pre-K Enhancement Grant Program, which is made possible by an anonymous private foundation. The foundation gave money to all United Ways in Tennessee who have new state-funded pre-kindergarten classrooms in their communities. Specifically, it was earmarked by the donor to enhance those new classrooms.

“We need to work hard to help our youngest children arrive on the first day of kindergarten prepared to take advantage of what lies ahead,” said Governor Phil Bredesen. “Across our state, there’s one thing educators agree on: Tennessee needs a strong pre-K program.”

United Way of West Tennessee serves Carroll, Crockett, Dyer, Gibson, Hardeman, Haywood, Henderson, Madison and Weakley counties. In these 10 counties, the State of Tennessee established 25 new pre-kindergarten classrooms this year. United Way has awarded $66,000 to the 19 classrooms in the 8 school systems that applied for the grant. Some did not apply.

Grant recipients include Anderson Early Childhood Center in Haywood County, Tennessee. Anderson will receive $8,521.00 for curriculum and book needs for two pre-k classrooms.

"We applaud each of these grant recipients for positively impacting the lives of children at this crucial time in their development,” said Barry Matthews, president/CEO for United Way of West Tennessee. “We share their belief in the value of early learning and its vital role in changing lives and making our community better. This indeed is an investment in our future, and it most certainly will achieve great results for many years to come."

The benefits of early childhood education are long-term and far-reaching according to the National Association for the Education of Young Children. Children in high quality programs have higher self-esteem and value achievement more than children who do not attend developmentally appropriate preschool programs. They receive higher scores on tests of thinking ability and language development and have better school attendance rates and lower school dropout rates. These children also show potential for higher lifetime earnings, are less dependent on government programs as their primary source of income and have fewer teen pregnancies.

To learn how you can help, contact United Way of West Tennessee, at (731) 422-1816. More information is also available at www.unitedway.tn.org/