June - August 2012
Great News
Did You Enter The Extreme Literacy Makeover Contest? Jovan Dunlap and Erie Canal Kids Entered And Won, The First Annual Child Care Solutions Extreme Literacy Makeover Contest. The Extreme Literacy Makeover Contest was created after a brainstorming session between Katie Howell and Marketing Director, Patrice Robinson. They were discussing how family child care providers can incorporate multi-functional items into their homes that are necessary for their child care business yet look good enough for their families after business hours. The idea grew into the literacy makeover, an opportunity to implement small changes and additions that can make child care environments more literacy rich. The contest was then opened to family child care providers and child care centers. Both winners entered the online contest by describing why they needed and wanted the makeover for their programs. Entries were judged by a panel who voted for the most compelling entries. Jovan Dunlap, a family child care provider, summed up the spirit of the contest in her entry. “I did not have the opportunities that most kids had. Reading for me was getting lost in my imagination as I read along, immersing myself in someone else’s life and pretending I was there. I would spend hours reading and not stopping until my book was finished. Being an avid reader allowed me to stay out of trouble at an age where trouble seemed normal. I want to provide that same escape for the kids in my daycare,” she stated. Kim Cuipylo, director of Erie Canal Kids was concerned that her program was lacking literacy games and materials for the older pre-schoolers. Erie Canal Kids has been busy expanding the literacy materials available for younger preschoolers and wanted to provide the same for the older children. Congratulations to both winners who will each receive: • $100 worth of materials donated by Lakeshore Learning. • $100 worth of materials donated by Child Care Solutions. • $50 for books from Barnes & Noble donated by the Onondaga County Literacy Coalition. • 10 hours of assistance from Child Care Solutions Professional Development Specialist, Katie Howell. is published by
Child Care Solutions
Just Some Of The Items The Winners Will Receive
CONNECTION
Connection
12
Area Rugs
Vertical Felt Boards
Plexi Glass Writing Panels
Soft Seats & Cushions
Vinyl Wall Clings
Books
Magnetic Letters
Storage Cubes
Storage Containers
Parent Message Center
THANK YOU
to the Women’s Fund of CNY! They awarded a $1,500 collaborative grant to Child Care Solutions and Cooperative Federal to provide financial management training and one-to-one credit counseling for 15 local family child care providers. The program, which begins in June, will provide financial management tools to help strengthen small family child care businesses, many of which are feeling the impact of the recession.
(315) 446-1220
www.childcaresolutionscny.org