To help families and caregivers prepare their children for school success by maximizing public and private community resources to deliver, enhance, and expand high-quality early childhood services.
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Collaborative work, advocacy, and diverse perspectives in the development of public policy and programs.
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Individualized services adaptable to meet the unique needs of children and families.
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High-quality, evidence-based programs and services
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Increase the reach of First Steps services
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Increase the number of children enrolled in high intensity programs funded by First Steps
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Increase the availability of high-quality early care and education opportunities offered by First Steps
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Promote optimal child development
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Increase Community Education and Outreach
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Explore Evidence Models
610 Laurel Street, Orangeburg, SC 29116| 803-9879164 www.orangeburgfirststeps.org
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MESSAGE FROM T H E EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR I could not be more excited to share the 2021 Annual Report for Orangeburg County First Steps with you! It h as been an unprecedented year with many challenges; nevertheless, we persevered and remain steadfast in our mission of ensuring every child is prepared for school success. At Orangeburg County First Steps, we are passionate about impacting the lives of the youngest citizens of our county and are proud to share in the responsibility of changing lives whenever
Kathy R. Jenkins Executive Director Orangeburg County First Steps
possible. With the aid of technology, we are proud to have been able to serve over 160 early childhood professionals with training and professional development opportunities, provided 932 modified home visits, gifted countless books and early learning materials a s well a s hosted numerous interactive literacy events, all with the support and collaboration of community partners. I look forward to the
next year and a m dedicated to the mission of maximizing resources to provide early childhood services to the youngest citizens of Orangeburg County. Thank you to the Board of Directors for entrusting me to lead this great agency. A huge thank you to the community partners and donors for your continued support. Thank you for investing in and supporting school readiness for all children.
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M E S S A G E F R O M T H E B O A R D CHAIR
James Rickenbacker Chair Orangeburg County First Steps Board of Trustees
I a m so excited about the future of Orangeburg County First Steps and what we can do collectively across the state to prepare children for school. This is not your ordinary agency and taking the adage “bringing it to the people” is exemplified on a daily basis. When an agency can use its resources to help develop the minds of children at the most vital stage in their lives we are all better off.
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Every child in Orangeburg County will be prepared for s ucces s in school.
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H I P P Y GO E S V I R T U A L During COVID-19HIPPY/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.
H I P P Y IN O R A N G E B U R G C O U N T Y 2020-2021
10 205
children served
total home visits
Every time my son got a new packet and book he was ready to get home to get started. He loves to read to his brothers. YATES, H I P P Y P A R E N T
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Orangeburg County A m e riCorps M e m b ers
1
HIPPY Parent Educator AmeriCorps Member
H O U R S SERVED IN THE COMMUNITY
825 hours served by HIPPY Parent Educator AmeriCorps Member
SEGAL E D UC A TIO N AWARD AmeriCorps member, Eboni Bryant supported the community by participating with local food drives & community engagement events, and logged more than 50 hrs completing Read-A-Louds at local childcare centers.
$3,098 total in Segal Education Awards received by all members serving at the Local Partnership 9
115
636
Books are 100% free to children in Orangeburg County because Orangeburg County First Steps secures the funds to cover the cost of books and shipping fees.
Sponsor a child for just $25 a year.
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234
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EARLY EDUCATION
Reading Rocks is a summer home visitation, literacy based, transition program supporting children 3-4 years of age. This program is designed to build strong communities, thriving families and children who are healthy, safe and ready to succeed. Services include personal sessions with a certified teacher and pre/post assessments.
R E A D I N G R O C K S B Y T H E N U M B E R S 2020-2021
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4K teachers trained a s home visitors
54
Individual visits
Elloree Elementary School participated in its inaugural year of the Reading Rocks (Countdown to 4K) program.
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77
53 Although the COVID-19 pandemic brought about many challenges, our youngest learners showed us how resilient they can be when faced with trauma. They adapted to masking up and small group settings like a champ!
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Building Resilience in Children with Trauma Teaching Healthy Habits to Our Youngest Learners Fostering Health and Safety Through Curriculum Safe: To Be or Not to Be? That is the Question
Coping with COVID with Your Calling and Curriculum in Mind Watch Them Move, Watch Them Grow: Supporting Growth Through Interactive Learning
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162
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Orangeburg County First Steps integrates scholarships with Early Steps to Success and the Imagination Library for m a n y f a m i l i e s , the c o s t of q u a l i t y c h i l d c a r e i s out of r e a c h . T hr ou gh O r a n ge bu rg County F ir st S t e p s a n d D SS - f u n d e d c hild c a r e s c h o l a r s h i p s , 6 i n c o me e l i g i b l e f a m i l i e s r e c e iv e d tuition a s s i s t a n c e at q u a l i t y c h i l d c a r e c e n t e r s in O r a n g e bu rg county. The s c h o l a r s h i p p r o g r a m a l l o w e d d e s e r v i n g p a r e n t s , who a t t e n d e d s c h o o l f u ll- t i m e or worked 20 ho u r s or more a w e e k to return without worrying a b o u t t h e i r c h ild ’s w e ll -b e in g .
SCHOLARSHIPS BY T H E NUMBERS 2020-2021
7
number of children served
2
number of providers served
7
number of developmental screenings provided
“Be effective, be consistent, be active, a nd be a ttentive.” Dr. Terry Fludd (Orangeburg County School District Director of School Improvement & Innovation) discusses “Weathering the Storm Through Positive Parenting” at the Childcare Scholarship Parent Group Meeting.
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PARENTING PROGRAM S a v e the Children’ s, E a r ly S t e p s to S c h o o l S u c c e s s ( E S S S ) p r o g r a m i s a h o m e v i s i t a t i o n p r o g r a m d e s i g n e d to pr ov ide h i g h - q u a l i t y e a r ly c h i l d h o o d d e v e l o p m e n t s e r v i c e s to y o u n g c hild r e n a n d f a m i l i e s l i v i n g in under -r e s ou r c e d a n d u n d e r s e r v e d c o m m u n i t i e s . Due to COVID-
19 r e st r ic t io n s, P a r e n t E d u c a t o r s e n g a g e d f a m i l i e s a n d c hild ren, p r e n a t a l to 3 y e a r s of a g e , in c r e a t iv e a n d m e a n i n g f u l w a y s v i a i n t e r a c t iv e v id e o c o n f e r e n c i n g , while c o n t i n u i n g to m e e t e s s e n t i a l r e q u i r e m e n t s of bi -m o n t hl y m e e t i n g s , m o n t hl y Group m e e t i n g s , s c r e e n i n g s , a n d a s s e s s m e n t s to i d e n t if y d e v e l o p m e n t a l c o n c e r n s , a n d c o n n e c t i o n s with o u t s i d e r e s o u r c e s .
E A R L Y S T E P S TO SCHOOL SUCCESS BY T H E N U M B E R S 2020-2021
56
families served
727 total home visits
One year old Michael, is excited to receive his personal food box and his first packet of Early Steps to School Success curriculum materials to be used during virtual home visits and between visits. Included in the materials is a stuffed animal that was integrated in the virtual E S S S Group Meeting. Parent Educator, Melissa Watson (Dr. Seuss) celebrates Dr. Seuss’s birthday with a mobile party. Families received books and played Pin the Tie on the Cat during their visit.
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PLAY & LEARN GROUPS Vroom is a relationship building concept, encouraging quality interactions between parents and their preschool children in helping to create everyday brain building moments. VROOM
Play and Learn Groups target children a ge s 3-5 years old, enhancing early literacy and math skills before entering Kindergarten.
VROOM P L A Y & L E A R N G RO UPS B Y T H E N U M B E R S 2020-2021
27
P lay & Learn Sessions Offered
40 Children & Families Served
"Play is often talked about a s if it were a relief from serious learning. But for children, play is serious learning. Play is really the work of childhood.“ Fred Rogers
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A d d r e s s i n g the n e e d s of y o u n g c hild r e n i s a s h a r e d e n d e a v o r . In a d d i t i o n to p r o v id in g s e r v i c e s to f a m i l i e s a n d s u p p or t for c h i l d c a r e pr ov ide rs, O r a n g e bu r g County F ir st S t e p s m o b i l i z e s p a r t ne r s a n d c o m m u n i t y m e m b e r s to e n s u r e a ll c hild r e n in O r a n ge bu rg County b e g i n s c h o o l r e a d y to s u c c e e d . We s e r v e a s a :
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Group Meetings
401 Children & Families served
(L) Early Learning Kits are donated to Edisto Primary School in support of Orangeburg County School District’s Summer Extravaganza. (R) Food Share Boxes and learning materials are distributed in collaboration with Save The Children and Chapel Hill Baptist Church (Santee).
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T hr ou gh p a r t n e r s h i p s a n d c o l l a b o r a t i o n s , a s well a s f i n a n c i a l s u p po r t f r om g r a n t s a n d c o n t ri bu ti on s, O r a n g e bu rg County F ir st S t e p s l e v e r a g e s s t a t e
d o l l a r s to e n h a n c e a n d e x p a n d s e r v i c e s to c hild r e n a n d f a m i l i e s .
FUNDING S U P P O R T Garden City Auto S a l e s Greenville T e c h n i c a l Colle ge P a t h s To W h o l e n e s s S a v e The Children United Way of the M i d l a n d s OCFS B oa r d of Directors
IN-KIND S U P P O R T K a p l a n E a r ly L e a r n i n g Center S a m & S o n L a w n Care S a v e The Children Ta v e l’n With A P u rp os e
JOIN U S For more i n f o r m a t i o n on p a r t n e r s h i p oppor t u n it ie s, v i s i t our w e b s i t e at orang eburg f irs ts teps .org
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E x p e n d i t u r e s o f S t a t e F u n d s by P r o g r a m T y p e 12%
Since inception, Ora ng eburg County First Steps has leveraged $2,057,599 from sources outside of state government. 88%
That’s $.27 for every state dollar.
State Funding
Federal Funding
Private Funding
In-Kind Contributions
Total
Early Steps to School Success
$93,140
$1,553
$65,770
$82,595
$243,058
Child Care Quality Enhancement
$32,340
$175
$34
$6,251
$38,800
Child Care Training
$30,751
$0
$1,697
$0
$32,448
Imagination Library
$1,060
$0
$357
$0
$1,417
AmeriCorp/HIPPY
$1,746
$4,734
$0
$4,206
$10,686
Scholarship Initiatives
$23, 563
$0
$0
$7,000
$30,563
School Transition
$24,318
$0
$6,286
$1,239
$31,843
$206,918
$6,462
$74,144
$101,291
$452,537
Total Expenses
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B O A R D OF D I R E C T O R S J a m e s Rickenbacker, Chairman
F a i t h Arthur, O r g a n i z a t i o n a l D e v e l o p m e n t Chair
M a r i e Artis, V i c e Chair
Antron W i l l i a m s , R e s o u r c e D e v e l o p m e n t Chair
Kalin Halls, Secretary
To n y a Di b b l e -We l l s
A n g i e Hutto
David W i l l i a m s
Dr. C a s s a n d r a J e n k i n s
L u ve n ia Williams
Dr. Au drey M . Qu arles
Dr. R e g i n a l d H. W i l l i a m s
STAFF Kat h y R. J e n k i n s , E x e c u t i v e Director
Dr. An t h on y B r o u g h t o n , T e c h n i c a l A s s i s t a n t / T r a i n e r
M e l i s s a Wat son , L e a d P a r e n t E d u c a t o r
Sarah Hayes, Administrative Assistan t
C O NT A C T U S PO Box 451 , Orangeburg, SC 29116 | 803 - 987 - 4164 | orangeburgfirststeps. org
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