Flint, MI – Educare Flint is celebrating five years of excellence in early childhood education. To celebrate its success, stakeholders gathered today, Mon., Dec. 5, to share lessons learned that will inform decision-making and future investments that expand early childhood access for Genesee County children.
The event featured a special presentation and remarks by State Senator Jim Ananich and Isaiah M. Oliver, president and CEO, Community Foundation of Greater Flint.
“Improving the universal quality of early childhood education is a priority we can all agree on,” explained Senator Ananich. “In the five years since Educare Flint opened its doors, in partnership with Cummings Great Expectations, we are seeing the results of a bold plan to improve services and outcomes for Flint and Genesee County’s youngest children.”
Oliver stated, “Educare Flint has proven to have provided an excellent return on investment, as local experts and stakeholders rallied behind increased resources in early childhood education amid the beginning of the Flint Water Crisis.”
A panel discussion followed with moderators Dr. Ja’Nel Jamerson, executive director, Educare Flint, and Latrese Brown, lead parent ambassador, Educare Flint. Panelists included: Dr. Mona Hanna-Attisha, MD, MPH, FAAP, founding director of the Pediatric Public Health Initiative; Kristina Johnston, COO Flint & Genesee Group; and Dr. Ann-Marie Faria, principal researcher at the American Institutes for Research.
“The pandemic and parents’ workforce access have had a tremendous impact on the development of children’s readiness for kindergarten,” stated Dr. Hanna-Attisha. “Projects and programs like Educare Flint are bridging the gap by providing additional resources to support children and their families.”
Dr. Faria emphasized that “attending high-quality early learning programs can have long-lasting effects on children and family’s development, especially in the wake of the global pandemic. I am thrilled to be a part of the Flint early childhood research-program partnership, where we consistently use data to understand our strengths and where we can continue to grow and strive for excellence at Educare Flint and Cummings Great Expectations”
Brown added, “Family engagement is critical in our children’s education, that’s why it is so important to leverage assets that only a parent can bring to our schools as experts and equal partners in their children’s education.”
For details on Educare Flint, visit educareflint.org
Educare Flint
Educare Flint opened its doors in December 2017 and is the only Educare school in Michigan, providing no-cost, full-day, year-long early education to 220 Flint children from birth to age 5. Highly skilled teaching staff, early childhood specialists, and family engagement advocates connect children, parents, and community residents with needed services. Educare Flint was formed as a joint partnership of the Flint Early Childhood Collaborative, which includes representatives from the Community Foundation of Greater Flint, Genesee Intermediate School District, Flint Community Schools and the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation.
Community Foundation of Greater Flint
Since 1988, we’ve been all about Flint and Genesee County’s future. The Community Foundation of Greater Flint enables people with philanthropic interests to support the issues they care about easily and effectively– immediately or through their estate plan. The Community Foundation of Greater Flint’s vision is a vibrant and equitable Genesee County where everyone can thrive. Their mission is to partner and lead by influencing and connecting generosity to Genesee County needs. For Good. For Ever. For Everyone.
