To provide high quality early education programs designed to meet the needs of the time that will ensure children in Barnwell County will arrive at first grade with the foundational knowledge and skills needed to succeed.
The influence of a child’s family is important for the child’s overall development and wellbeing. High quality childcare should be accessible to all children Our staff and those we work with are highly qualified and demonstrate compassion and concern for children and families. Honesty and integrity is at the core of everything that we do.
Increase the reach of first steps service
Increase the availability of high-quality early care and education opportunities offered by first steps
More children arrive at Kindergarten ready for success.
Children receive high quality childcare
Staff are highly qualified and motivated
Parents are equipped to support their child(ren) at home
Children will be ready to transition to Kindergarten.
110 Franklin Street Barnwell, SC 29812 | (803) 450-1493 | scfirststeps.org/barnwellcounty
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MESSAGE FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Tricia Gordon
Executive Director Barnwell County First Steps
Barnwell County First Steps has a mission statement to “provide early childhood education programs designed to ensure that Barnwell County children arrive at first grade healthy and ready to succeed.” In this capacity, our partnership focuses on providing direct support and resources for our children and families in Barnwell County. This year, we changed our programs to directly focus on supporting our parents as their child’s first teachers. Our parent educators work through two programs: Parents as Teachers and HIPPY (Home Instruction Program for Preschool Youngsters).Through these programs, we can provide guided assistance to our families to set their children up for success upon their arrival in school. We continue to work to provide the best possible childcare opportunities for our communities. Our programs work with the early childhood directors and educators to improve their skills and assist with the challenges that they face in their centers. In concert with this effort, we provide scholarship opportunities for families that need assistance affording quality childcare to be able to work or attend school. We value our community partnerships and hope to expand our connections amongst agencies and organizations that serve our children and families in Barnwell County. As we look forward to the future of our partnership, we encourage you to reach out and join us in providing a better future for our children and their families.
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MESSAGE FROM THE BOARD CHAIR
Cheryl Long
Chair Barnwell County First Steps Board of Trustees
As a member of the Barnwell County First Steps board, and as I serve as the chairperson, I want to make sure that all of the children in Barnwell county and the state of South Carolina gets every opportunity to be the best they can be. The help and services that the Barnwell County First Steps program gives, all the children is so needed in the world we live in today. We are teaching young parents how to be good parents to their children. In past years, the families passed this education down to the new parents by word of mouth and modeling. That is not the norm anymore, in today’s world. The people that are being served are good people, and they need all the help they can get as they work with their children. We see that we are making a difference. Slowly but surely, we can see that in the long run, our community will benefit from all this hard work. We can also see that It will take time, energy and money to move us forward. We as a board and as a staff are committed to do our best to help our children be their best.
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Children in Barnwell County will arrive at first grade with the skills and knowledge they need to succeed.
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PAT GOES VIRTUAL Due to COVID-19, Parents as Teachers (PAT) National provided guidance for affiliates to deliver virtual services via
PAT IN BARNWELL COUNTY 2020-2021
49
families served
interactive video conferencing and phone calls. South Carolina PAT affiliates rose to the occasion by engaging families in creative and
554
total home visits
meaningful ways while continuing to meet the Essential Requirements of implementing a quality PAT program during the pandemic.
Our parents are always so grateful for the services we provide
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HIPPY GOES VIRTUAL During COVID-19 HIPPY AmeriCorps Parent Educators were able to consistently meet with families each week through virtual visits. The HIPPY curriculum was delivered using a variety of virtual platforms, For 26 weeks, Parent Educators used creative ideas to coach parents on lessons about literacy, mathematics, science, motor, and language skills while communicating on screen.
HIPPY IN BARNWELL COUNTY 2020-2021
10 190
families served
total home visits
9
Barnwell County AmeriCorps Members
1 1
Family Support AmeriCorps member
HIPPY Parent Educator AmeriCorps member
Hours served in the community
“I would like to express my gratitude in having the opportunity to serve with AmeriCorps First Steps with the HIPPY program. This gave me the privilege of connecting and learning about the families and the needs of the families in our community. I also made connections with other agencies, community leaders, and served at several events benefiting the families of Barnwell County. Serving with First Steps AmeriCorps was an amazing experience.” -Honali Robinson, Family Support AmeriCorps Member
946 875
hours served by Family Support AmeriCorps member
hours served by HIPPY Parent Educator AmeriCorps member
Segal Education Award
$7,434
total in Segal Education Awards received by all members serving at the Local Partnership 10
3
21
126
I am so grateful to be a part of this program. It is a great opportunity tot get to know the children that will be in my classroom. -Mrs. Parker, Kindergarten Teacher
11
5
54
165
12
Nurturing the Growth & Development of Early Childhood Leaders The Characteristics of Play & Creativity in the Early Childhood Classroom Growth & Development Health & Nutrition
64
48
4
We are so appreciative of First Steps for providing us with free training. The trainers are great! PreK Teacher, Williston
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For many families in Barnwell County, the cost of quality child care is out of reach. Our scholarship p rog ram makes p ayments to child care p roviders to care for children from low-income families so their p arents can return to school or work.
Barnwell County First Step s offers scholarship s to families enrolled in our Early Step s to School Success p rog ram, as well as income-elig ib le children whose p arent attends school or works at least 2 0 hours p er week.
SCHOLARSHIPS BY THE NUMBERS 2020-2021
55 number of children served
4
number of providers served
55 number of developmental screenings provided
100% the money paid to child care providers goes back into our local economy to benefit the citizens of Barnwell County.
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Addressing the needs of young children is a shared endeavor. I n addition to p roviding services to families and sup p ort for child care p roviders, Barnwell County First Step s mob ilizes p artners and community m emb ers to ensure all children in Barnwell County b eg in school ready to succeed. W e serve as a:
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Collaborative Events
50 Partners
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T hroug h p artnership s and collab or a ti ons , as well as financial sup p ort from g rants and contrib uti ons , Barnwell County First Step s leverag es state dollars to enhance and exp and services to children and families.
FUNDING SUPPORT Darnell & Miriam Fund: $ 1 4 6 ,1 5 0 Home Visitor Exp ansion G rant: $ 4 6 ,5 9 6 T ri-County Community Foundation: $ 5 ,0 0 0 Certified T raining I ncentive G rant: $ 2 ,0 0 0
IN-KIND SUPPORT District 4 5 : $ AmeriCorp s: $ 1 5 ,2 5 4 .4 3
JOIN US For more informati on or p artnership op p ortunities , visit our web site at www.scfirsts tep s. o rg /b a rn well
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Expenditures of State Funds by Program Type 7%
Since inception, Barnwell County First Steps has leveraged $2,814,211.04 from sources outside of state government. That’s $0.61 for every state dollar.
93%
State Funding
Federal Funding
Private Funding
In-Kind Contributions
Total
Parents as Teachers
$36,775.84
$
$3,414.44
$94.50
$40,284.78
Child Care Quality Enhancement
$24,763.22
$
$1,000
$
$25,763.22
Child Care Training & Prof. Dev.
$18,909.17
$
$1,319.26
$
$20,228.43
Early Head Start Childcare
$15,748.39
$82,183.66
$
$
$97,932.05
Scholarship Initiatives
$64,897.93
$
$82,071.66
$
$146,969.59
Early Steps
$
$10,697.92
$28,568.44
$3,151,32
$42,417.68
HIPPY
$
$6,999.02
$
$40.50
$7,039.52
Countdown to Kindergarten
$12,855.68
$
Core Functions
$16,984.56
$365.39
$
$
$17,349.95
$
$
$
$
$
$23,467.42
$
$
$
$23,467.42
$214,402.21
$100,245.99
$116,373.80
$3,286.32
$434,308.32
Partnerships & Community Education Administrative Functions Total Expenses
$12,855.68
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BOARD OF DIRECTORS G arnette Alexander, Secretary Vickie Carter-Blo c ke r , Director Shanikia Dukes, Director Carmen Keig ans, Director Cheryl L ong , Board Chair
Catherine Mack , Director Kimb erly Richardson , Director Sheila Silon, Director Eryl Smalls, Director Ethel W illiams, Vice-Chair
STAFF T ricia G ordon, Executive Director Kenya Johnson, Administrative Assistant Cynthia Middleton, Data Sp ecialist Honali Rob inson, Parent Educator Ethel Brooks , Parent Educator Randy Mack , Quality Enhancement Coach Alexandera W alker, HI PPY Parent Educator
CONTACT US 1 1 0 Fra nkli n Street Ba rnwell, SC 2 9 8 1 2 | (8 0 3 ) 4 5 0 -1 4 9 3 | www.s cfirs ts teps .or g / ba r n we ll
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