MEET JOURNEÉ, AGE 9 SOUTH CAROLINA She’s a third grader who loves to  dance and has been called a “social butterfly” by her teacher. In March 2017, Journeé traveled with her mom, Sharlene, to Fairfield, CT to attend an event with Carolyn Miles, President & CEO of  Save the Children USA, highlighting how early education can help break the cycle of poverty here in the United States. Journeé spoke about her experience in our early education programs in South Carolina and how our SummerBoostTM day camp keeps her having fun – and learning – during the summer months.

Nick, Kaylee and Addison show off the bags they will use for their school’s book exchange. We love to see the smiles on these aspiring readers’ faces!
STATES WE SERVED: California, Kentucky, Mississippi,  South Carolina and Tennessee

Through our Early Steps to School Success program, we conducted home visits with families of children under 3 to encourage healthy  development and learning, right from the start. Together, we helped build strong connections to schools and made sure parents understood their role as their child’s first and most important teacher.
Every week, we sent children ages 3-5 home with new books  through our Book Bag Exchange program. Children and caregivers were encouraged to read together daily. The exchange provided an opportunity for developmentally appropriate books to reach homes where they’re needed.
We collaborated with the Kentucky Out of School Alliance and state  and regional representatives to provide educational training. So far, professional development efforts have centered on literacy and family engagement, and we plan to expand these topics in 2018 to include STEM (science, technology, engineering and math), health and wellness, community engagement and special care for children affected by trauma.