Head Start Body Start National Center for Physical Development and Outdoor Play (HSBS) today announced that Council on Rural Services is one of 436 recipients of a $5,000 grant to improve the outdoor play space for infants and toddlers at the Kids Learning Place in Greenville.
According to Early Childhood Services Coordinator, Kathy Parmenter, “We appreciate Head Start Body Start for helping us to evaluate Greenville play spaces and then help us educate our children and families about the value of physical activity and playing outdoors. This grant will enable our Greenville center to purchase additional outside play equipment, fencing and construct an arbor.”
“Kids Learning Place also acknowledges and thanks Nancy Sharp for her valuable volunteer time and expertise,” said Mark Schlater, Chief Operating Officer. “She was instrumental in volunteering her time to assist in writing and researching the information for this grant submission, without her help this award would not have been possible.”
In addition to the play space improvement, each award-winning Early Head Start Center will have targeted training, technical assistance and the expertise of a physical activity consultant as well as access to online courses, webinars and resource materials.
Ms. Parmenter continued, “HSBS will assist the program in creating healthy learning spaces, both in and outside the classroom. Structured and unstructured physical activity leads to the physical, cognitive, social and emotional development of young children and reduces obesity. We want our children to learn about good health!” These spaces encourage movement opportunities for all children, and within the curriculum the staff plans activities each day with the children that teach about exercise, nutrition and health.
Research has shown that an opportunity for whole body exercise has long lasting influence as children’s physical activity tracks throughout childhood. To learn more about Head Start Body Start, visit www.headstartbodystart.org. Head Start Body Starts purpose is to increase physical activity, outdoor play and healthy eating among Head Start and Early Head Start children, families and staff. Funding for HSBS is provided by the Office of Head Start, Administration for Children and Families, US Department of Health and Human Services.
For more information about our programs, check the Web site at www.councilonruralservices.org or call 937-778-5220. Council on Rural Services provides education, support, and volunteer services in our nine county service area through Kids Learning Place™, Head Start, Early Head Start, Gateway Youth Programs, and HandsOn West Central
Am I correct in figuring that this is part of over $2 million (in total grant money)in taxpayer money? On top of these facilities already being run at our expense?
ReplyDeleteThis is about as bad as the feg govt program teaching new mothers to breast feed. Yet some people cry that there is no place to make real cuts in govt spending. Just amazing that wasteful programs like this seem to be growing.
ReplyDeleteThese programs aren't wasteful at all. They provide a real service that improves the community. Simply being 'public supported' does not equal wasteful.
ReplyDeleteAlso, I would love it if the government funded a breastfeeding promotion. It's typically the best for the child, but also saves me (the taxpayer) from having to buy low income families formula, which is crazy expensive.
We used to have programs like that really worked and did not depend on taxpayers paying the bill. It was called parenting. Too many kids having babies they can't or won't raise and support. Any woman that needs the federal govt to show her how to breast feed is probably not fit to raise a child anyway.
ReplyDeleteHaving a wife who is nursing, breastfeeding isn't as simple as just putting the kid there and waiting. It's mentally, emotionally and physically taxing. The fact that so relatively few moms do it is proof that isn't just as simple as you want to pretend it is.
ReplyDeleteThere are tons of households where both parents are working so make ends meet. Programs like these help provide a constructive environment to encourage strong development, so that kids get what they need. I'm not sure where you are thinking this is for welfare moochers to just drop off their kids.