By Maegan Snyder
By leveraging its resources as an Archway Partnership Community, Whitfield County is taking a holistic approach to economic development—starting with its youngest residents.
For six Saturdays this spring, a group of nearly 60 prekindergarten students and their families gathered at the Mack Gaston Community Center in Dalton, Ga., to laugh, play and learn while participating in a variety of activities. Although the program looked like any other family fun event, something much larger and more strategic was at work.
The families were taking part in the Saturday Academy, a program developed by the Archway Partnership as part of a robust community workforce initiative focused on the area’s youngest residents. Through interactive sessions, the academy provides children ages 3 to 5 a nurturing environment that better prepares them for elementary school—setting the stage for success now and as they progress through school and into the workforce.
“In terms of economic development, businesses want to focus on not just the workforce of today but also the workforce of tomorrow,” said Whitfield County Commissioner Lynn Laughter, who chairs the Dalton-Whitfield Archway executive committee. “With that in mind, education has become a central priority for the Dalton-Whitfield community and the Archway Partnership executive committee.”
The academy is just one aspect of the Dalton-Whitfield Archway Partnership’s education initiatives. Following the creation of Readers to Leaders, a community literacy initiative geared toward getting students on grade level in all academic areas by third grade, Archway recognized the need for a concerted focus on preschool aged children. Thus, it formed First Five, a community coalition committed to preparing children, birth to 5 years, for success in both school and life.
“A growing body of research shows that the greater the educational investment in the early years of a child’s life, the better the outcomes for the future,” said Katy Green, Dalton-Whitfield Archway education professional who was hired through a collaborative venture between the Archway Partnership, the UGA College of Education, and the local community in May 2013 to focus specifically on birth-to-5 programs. “We want to be sure our children not only get a good start but also bring lasting benefits to the community throughout their lives.”
The first five years of life are critical, the time when children acquire the cognitive and social skills needed later in life, Green said. “Entering school behind and remaining behind peers in early elementary years often leads to increased special education placements, increased juvenile delinquency, higher high school drop-out rates, and ultimately, decreased readiness to enter the workforce.”
This community commitment to its youngest residents is a vital step toward bridging the gap in access to preschool in the United States. According to the Annie E. Casey Foundation’s Kids Count Data Book, from 2010 to 2012, 4.3 million 3 and 4 year olds in the United States were not attending preschool, representing 54 percent of all children in that age group. The proportion in Georgia was an even lower 52 percent. The First Five coalition serves as a united voice for community partners who advocate for and work together to support healthy prenatal awareness and early childhood development. By engaging the community in prekindergarten issues, the coalition provides solutions that support families, including the importance of literacy, school readiness and healthy lifestyle choices.
Community leaders understand that getting every child on grade level by third grade is a lofty goal—and one that requires all hands on deck. Representatives from every major community stakeholder from city and county government, the business community, and both city and county school systems serve on the Archway Partnership executive committee and play a role in its various programs and initiatives.
“It’s a daunting task, but community leaders realize that education begins much sooner than kindergarten. They also recognize the highest return on investment is in the early years of a child’s life,” Green said.
Through the work of First Five and Readers to Leaders, the local Archway Partnership has established many literacy initiatives, including Reach Out and Read, part of a national network of medical providers who give new books to children and advice to parents about the importance of reading aloud.
“When a family visits a pediatrician for a well-child visit, the physician discusses literacy and brain development milestones in addition to physical milestones. This empowers parents as a child’s first teacher and helps them catch early learning problems. Plus, every child leaves with an age-appropriate book,” said Melissa Lu, Dalton-Whitfield Archway professional.
While the community has made significant progress in reaching its goals, there is still much work to be done, according to Green. “The impact of our birth-to-5 efforts won’t be seen for many years,” she said. “We hope to see children entering kindergarten ready to learn, leading ultimately to higher achievement throughout school, increased graduation rates, and a better educated workforce in the future.”
