Framework For the Future

By Felicia Carter

Imagination is a constant theme throughout Christian Appalachian Project’s Child Development Centers. Hand-drawn pictures line the walls, and under the pictures are captions that depict what the drawing portrays. Most notable is a picture that is covered with warm-colored, abstract splotches, entitled, “A Lawn Mower.” Countless other pictures follow suit that capture the beautiful, imaginative mind of a child.

Along with the students, teachers with the same level of enthusiasm flood the classrooms, constantly encouraging the learning environment that builds fine motor and communication skills to help create a strong future of students.

Located in Park’s Lake, Ky., and Mt. Vernon, Ky., these facilities provide all-day programs for the students in their communities.

Both centers provide extra activities to help the participants be even more involved with the program. The students get to go on field trips, they are assigned homework crafts where they get to work with their parents, and they have the opportunity to go to school dances where they wear their favorite dress clothes and dance the evening away. There is also an Infant and Toddler Program offered, where CAP home visitors travel to homes and work with the families to mutually enhance the home environment. The home visitor will support the parents by providing information on early childhood development and identify materials to be used for learning experiences at home. The goal of this program is to provide support and encouragement to family members as they learn to empower themselves as parents.

Given the high level of interactions between the teachers and students, they have scores that reflect the personal care the programs provide. According to the Brigance Kindergarten Screener, a screening tool used statewide at kindergarten entry that assesses whether a child is ready to hit the ground running at the start of his or her education career, more than half of all students who go through a CAP Child Development Program are ready for kindergarten.

The National Association for the Education of Young Children accredits Eagle Child and Family Development Center, and Mt. Vernon Child Development Center is not far from obtaining that title.

This is all thanks to an excellent staff of volunteers and employees. Becky Kana is the manager of the Mt. Vernon Child Development Center and has been with CAP for 33 years. She has always worked in childcare, but it was not until about 10 years ago that she started working at the Family Life Child Development Center. She sings its praises wherever she goes.

“This program is really important,” Becky explains. “When it began, it was kind of out of the norm. People started to realize that the time between birth and kindergarten are crucial learning periods, so the numbers in enrollment started to go up.”

According to the Brigance Kindergarten Screener, well over half of all students who go through a CAP Child Development Program are ready for kindergarten.

been working for CAP for 10 years. She began her service with CAP working in adult education, teaching G.E.D. classes to those living in the area.

“Once other adult education programs started moving into the area, the number of students in my classes started to go down. It was a sign from God when this position became available because I knew I wanted to stay in education. I get to see my staff go above and beyond with the families. They feel what the families feel, and it is sincere.”

Both really enjoy working with the children and the families of the community. Watching the families learn and grow is one of the most rewarding parts.

Many success stories come out of the programs, but one of the most recent stories is a participant named Haley, who attended the Eagle Child and Family Development Center when she was younger. Now a senior in high school, she is still heavily involved.

“I started working as a full-time volunteer when I was 16. I’ve worked in the Early Steps Program with the one- to four-year-olds, and I’ve stapled and filed a lot of papers. Now, I work with a peer-tutoring program for ages five to 18. I also worked as a junior counselor at Camp AJ.”

Haley says that being able to identify with participants is very important.

“Working at summer camp really helped me to relate to the area more. Even though Eastern Kentucky is small and this is where I am from, there are many different types of people that live in the area. I was able to see that at camp. It really helped me when it came to tutoring the students because I knew a bit more about where they were from.”

Haley says her favorite thing about CAP is how it resembles a huge community.

“People bring together items that they have to give to those who are less fortunate. They all want to help, and that is the commonality.”

Haley plans to attend the local community college to take her general education courses, and then transfer to a university after that to study veterinary sciences.

Overall, the Child Development Centers are a crucial program to CAP. Serving the communities by providing high-quality early education sets the foundation for a high graduation rate, which is important for growth in these communities.