“This is a ‘good news’ story for the children of Providence, Central Falls and Pawtucket,” Congressman Jim Langevin told the capacity crowd that gathered September 29 at Ready to Learn Providence to celebrate the organization’s third Early Reading First award from the U.S. Department of Education.
“The statistics are pretty clear,” Langevin continued. “If children aren’t reading by third grade, it’s very hard for them to catch up. This grant helps to ensure that children are prepared to succeed right from the get-go.”
Picking up on that theme, R.I. Commissioner of Education Deborah Gist said, “I have been speaking a lot about an achievement gap in our education, but we also have a preparation gap. That gap can be resolved with high-quality early childhood programs.”
R2LP is one of 28 nonprofit organizations and school districts nationwide to receive an Early Reading First award this year. With the $3.9 million grant, R2LP will work with five early-care programs in three cities – Heritage Park YMCA Early Learning Center and Pawtucket Day Child Development Center in Pawtucket, Progreso Latino and Children’s Friend Child Care Program in Central Falls, and Roger Williams Day Care Center in Providence – to create centers of educational excellence. Over a three-year period, R2LP will provide directors, teachers and assistants at these centers with college-level courses and intensive on-site mentoring, all designed to strengthen instruction, improve teacher-child interactions and create environments that support early language and literacy development. Funding from the grant also provides the participating centers with hundreds of high-quality children’s books and other classroom materials.
“The research is unequivocal,” noted Providence Mayor David Cicilline. “Making an investment in early education is the best investment we can make.”
Also speaking at the event were representatives from centers participating in R2LP’s newest Early Reading First program: David Caprio, Sharon Friedman, Evelyn St. George and Balbina Young (pictured at right).
“When our children enter kindergarten, they will hit the ground running,” said St. George, co-director of the 117-year-old Pawtucket Day Child Development Center.
Added Jessica Gregory, whose child attends the Heritage Park YMCA Early Learning Center: “As a parent, I feel I’m doing my part preparing my child. With this partnership between Heritage Park and R2LP, I know our children will start kindergarten healthy and ready to learn.”
“It’s all about investing in our children and their future,” said Dick Spies, chair of The Providence Plan’s board of directors. “That’s the highest value a community can have.”
Top: (L-r) Dick Spies; Pat McGuigan, executive director of The Providence Plan; Deborah Gist; Jim Langevin; and David Cicilline. Above left: Members of the audience and the press. Above right: Balbina Young, executive director of Roger Williams Day Care Center. Bottom, left: McGuigan, Gist, Langevin, Cicilline and R2LP Director Leslie Gell. Bottom, right: Langevin and McGuigan (back row) pose with members of the R2LP AmeriCorps team. Five of these members will work at the ERF sites with center staff and students to help pave the way toward success in school.
