Thank you to everyone who participated in the 2016 UPS / United Way Teeing Up For Kids Golf Tournament at the Coeur d'Alene Public Golf Club! Nearly $15,000 was raised to help support early childhood education initiatives in our communities.
Children are our most precious commodity. Statistics show students who are reading at grade level entering 4th grade are six times more likely to graduate on time. The first three years of learning to read are greatly impacted by how ready children are entering kindergarten. In Kootenai County, 40% of children are not prepared to begin the learning process. That’s why we are putting unprecedented energy, focus and resources on education. That’s what it will take to ensure all children come to school ready to succeed, reading at grade level, able to navigate middle school, graduate high school on time and ready to go on to college or work.
Our Kindergarten Readiness initiative strives to involve parents and caregivers during the powerful early learning years from birth to five. You often hear that, “kids don’t come with instruction manuals.” Programs like Ready! for Kindergarten, an evidence based program and United Way’s Kindergarten Readiness Calendars teach parents the developmental activities and learning opportunities to use with their children to make sure that they will be successful in education and life.
