C A R R O L LT O N E A R LY C H I L D H O O D P T A
Kids-Giving Day by Diane M. Ciarloni | photos courtesy of CECPTA
T
he mind of a child is awesome, beginning its navigation of the learning process from the moment a newborn’s eyes open. A miniature hand reaches out and instinctively wraps around the first adult finger it encounters. Bingo! He (or she) just learned there’s a big dude in the room. Soon, he learns the big finger belongs to someone who offers food, warmth, comfort, protection, and something really nice called love.
but it also allows parents to build a strong,
The people at the Carrollton Early Childhood PTA (CECPTA) believe children are capable of learning even a few complex elements before they hit kindergarten. It begins with that first finger contact, and the six women who, in 1958, established what is now CECPTA believed
weekly virtual/in-person, age specific play
it progressed from there. The name in those early days was the Valwood Park Elementary Preschool PTA. Several PTAs popped up in the area at that time, with 10 of them chartered. A short time later, the Valwood Park organization decided to drop all affiliation with a specific school and become, instead, a community organization. It wasn’t until 1993 that the name Carrollton Early Childhood PTA was adopted.
There is a modest annual membership fee of $25, which covers monthly meetings September through May along with a
variety of programs. Activities include
groups, monthly parties and social events, members night out and game nights,
They encouraged kids and parents to look around their communities to identify needs and solutions.
Today, the CECPTA shines its primary focus on providing activities, support, friendships, and education for the parents of children ranging from newborn through preschool. Not only do the infants, toddlers, and preschoolers benefit from the organization, 20 | LIFE IN CASTLE HILLS | OCTOBER 2020
supportive network.
informative speakers
and low-cost childcare,
community outreach
programs,
sunshine meals
for new parents
or any members in need.
All of those
things make up
the set agenda, but there is a
great deal more
excitement popping up throughout the year. Sometimes, projects jump out of something as unassuming as a casual conversation, which is exactly what
happened with the Kids-Giving Day on September 12.
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