St. Louis, MO (June 13, 2024) – Unleashing Potential (UP) announced it received 372 books in support of literacy in early childhood education (ECE) from Books for STL Kids. This contribution will help set 31 children (ages 6 weeks – 5 years old) from economically disadvantaged communities in St. Louis City on a positive trajectory.
Ninety percent of brain development happens before age five (Harvard Center for the Developing Child). School readiness, and ultimately a child’s academic success, is greatly impacted by access to and the quality of early care and education (including reading). Children exposed to high quality learning environments are more likely to exhibit superior language and mathematical skills, greater cognitive and social skills and better relationships with classmates. According to Vision for Children at Risk (2017), the achievement gap in kindergarten for African American and Hispanic students who attended high-quality early childhood education is reduced by 45-78% in reading and 98-106% in math.
Every child needs a positive and stimulating environment/supports during this critical period, but at-risk children from distressed neighborhoods are the least likely to get them. Limited ECE slots, failing schools, and poverty highlight the need for educational equity, yet the average tuition cost of ECE in Missouri ($11,059/year) remains financially out of reach (First Five Years Fund, 2023).
“We believe that potential should not be limited by a zip code or income.” Said Darlene Sowell, President and CEO of Unleashing Potential. “Nearly 87% of families in our early childhood education program earn less than 150% of the federal poverty level. This high need, lack of access and financial resources for parents unable to pay exorbitant tuition fees, creates a gap in educational experiences between low- and high-income students. These odds do not give low-income children the best outcomes for academic success.”
UP’s goal is to establish an equitable foundation for these very young children that leads to long-term social-emotional and academic success. UP advances educational equity by providing tuition relief to our licensed and dually accredited, evidence-based ECE programming, on-site occupational/physical therapies for children with special needs, access to technology, and social-emotional support to help children and their families focus on learning.
Darlene added, “With support from Books for STL Kids, UP’s ECE program will continue to empower at-risk children from diverse races, ethnicities, and economic backgrounds with high-quality educational programs.” Thanks to donors like Books for STL Kids, UP educators report that the children are always excited about story time and receiving their very own books to take home. Parents report that their children are more engaged in reading and are recognizing letters.
UP also received books from Books for STL Kids last year. UP is proud of the achievements of our children, the engagement of families, and support from partners, like Books for STL Kids. In 2023: 100% of children were kindergarten ready and 82% of children met/exceeded developmental milestones.
About Unleashing Potential
Unleashing Potential (UP) is one of St. Louis’ oldest nonprofits enriching the lives of children (founded originally as Neighborhood Houses in 1913). The mission of Unleashing Potential is to close the opportunity gap for children and youth by building on their strengths. A United Way agency since 1955, Unleashing Potential creates educational and empowering experiences through early childhood education, after school programs, youth development and enrichment camps. For more information about Unleashing Potential visit, https://upstl.org.
About Books for STL Kids
Books For STL Kids provides a critical resource to children in need. By providing children with books they can take home and keep, Books For STL Kids targets the only variable that correlates significantly with reading scores … the number of books located in the home. Books for STL Kids has distributed more than 220,000 books since its beginnings, to more than 160 existing literacy programs. For more Information visit https://www.booksforstlkids.org/
Unleashing Potential Media Contact:
Name: Verletta Cole
Email: vcole@upstl.org
Phone: 314-561-3337
Books for STL Kids Media Contact:
Name: Heather Winsby
Email: info@booksforstlkids.org
Phone: (314) 650-2028
*Featured picture includes Jennifer Wood, Manager of Corporate and Foundation Gifts at Unleashing Potential, picking up book donation from Heather Winsby, Board President at Books for STL Kids.
