Verizon presents gift to Success By 6 June 18, 2007 Bill Reid, Director of External Affairs for Verizon presented a check for $8,000 to Success By 6 to place Parent Lending Libraries in at least five childcare centers in Polk County. Each library consists of a four sided bookstand on wheels, at least 200 books and instructions and tips for parents and center staff. Children borrow these books with their parents for one-on-one reading together. Verizon understands that language skills are the primary predictor of academic success or failure. Thank you Verizon!
Permalink | Comments (0) | More in: Success by 6 Posted by Jodi Tucker Congratulations to the Success Rally Honorees! March 3, 2007 The 4th Annual Success Rally was held March 1, 2007 at the Lakeland Center. The 2006 Spirit of the Family winners are Keith and Schnars, P.A., Bright House Networks, and Polk County Board of County Commissioners. Finalists are Carter, Belcourt & Atkinson, P.A., Lanier Upshaw, Inc., Lockheed Martin Financial Services, Polk County Clerk of Courts, Coca-Cola North America, Marriott Vacation Club International, Lakeland Regional Medical Center, Polk County Sheriff’s Office, State Farm Insurance, and W.S. Badcock Corporation. The 2006 award winners for Best Places to Work are Carter, Belcourt & Atkinson, P.A., Keith and Schnars, P.A., Lanier Upshaw, Inc., Bright House Networks, Coca-Cola North America, Lockheed Martin Financial Services, Marriott Vacation Club International, Polk County Clerk of Courts, Lakeland Regional Medical Center, Polk County Board of County Commissioners, Polk County Sheriff’s Office, State Farm Insurance, Winter Haven Hospital, and W.S. Badcock Corporation. These companies completed applications and were selected by the following panel of judges: Ann Berner, Department of Children and Families; Jim Esmond, Quest Information Services; George Magrill, Youth and Family Alternatives; Larry Miller, Spherion Staffing; Gene Parnell, City of Lakeland, Retired; Viesta Skipper, Life Skills Center; Claudia Tritton, Lakeland Economic Development Council; Kevin Turner, Devereux Florida; and Bobby Yates, Lakeland Volunteers in Medicine. Permalink | Comments (0) | More in: Success by 6 Posted by Join Us at the Success Rally! January 11, 2007 Over half of the students entering kindergarten in Polk County fail the language section of the kindergarten screening tool. These 5-year-old children cannot follow one or two step directions. They cannot listen to a simple story. They cannot speak in sentences, express ideas or talk about their everyday experiences. A child who struggles in kindergarten is more likely to fail a grade, more likely to use drugs and more likely to become sexually active early. A child who succeeds in kindergarten is more likely to thrive in school, more likely to graduate from high school and more likely to meet his or her potential. Many parents report that they are struggling to balance the demands of work and family. Many employers report that they are struggling to find and keep qualified, dedicated workers. Family-friendly workplaces provide solutions for both problems. Come see the top Family Friendly companies honored at the Success Rally breakfast to be held at the Lakeland Center on March 1, 2007. These employers provide family friendly policies and family oriented benefits. They encourage parents to be both responsible employees and responsible parents. This investment in our children promotes greater economic health and a stronger workforce. Please call 863-648-1500 ext.228 for more information. Permalink | Comments (0) | More in: Success by 6 Posted by TAKE YOUR PLACE AS ONE OF POLK OR HARDEE COUNTY'S MOST PRESTIGIOUS EMPLOYERS! June 21, 2006 Apply for the 2006 Best Practices Awards! Benefits for Winners: Application available at www.polkworks.org/content/bpa/june/step1.asp Don't wait! Deadline for entries is September 5, 2006. For more information contact Success By 6 at 863-648-1500 x265 Permalink | Comments (0) | More in: Success by 6 Posted by Health Dept Receives Davis Productivity Award May 2, 2006 Congratulations to the Polk County Health Department for receiving the Davis Productivity Award for forming the Child Passenger Safety Seat Awareness Task Force. The Task Force included the Polk County Health Department, Florida Child Safety Seat Distribution Program, Florida Highway Patrol, and the United Way of Central Florida’s Success By 6 initiative. The 15-member task force collaborated to provide education and safety seats to the community, providing information in both English and Spanish to more than 3,454 parents and guardians. There have been 767 car seats distributed since October 2004. According to The National Safe Kids Campaign, every dollar spent on a child safety seat saves $32 in health care cost. This collaboration potentially saved $207,808.00 in health care costs. The total net value to clients who purchased seats at a discounted rate was $31,352.37. This cost savings to families has permitted them additional money for other essential items. The Davis Productivity Award recognizes and rewards state employees and work units whose work significantly and measurably increases productivity and promotes innovation to improve the delivery of state services and saves money for Florida taxpayers and businesses. For more information, please contact Sandy Sullivan at (863) 413-2620 ext. 1076 or Sandra_sullivan@doh.state.fl.us OR Jodi Tucker (863) 648-1500 x 265 or jodit@uwcf.orgPermalink | Comments (0) | More in: Success by 6 Posted by Susan Clayton Keep Babies Safe! March 15, 2006 In the past 12 months, seven babies in Highlands and Polk counties have died from suffocation as a result of a roll over or while bed sharing. Many parents and caregivers are unaware of the hidden hazards of bed sharing. The NICHD and AAP have developed the following safe sleep techniques to reduce the risk of infant deaths due to accidental suffocation and SIDS: For more information, please call the Healthy Start Coalition of Hardee, Highlands, and Polk Counties, Inc. at 863-297-3043. Permalink | Comments (0) | More in: Success by 6 Posted by Born Learning December 27, 2005 The United Way of Central Florida, in conjuction with the nationwide early childhood learning program, Success By 6, is preparing to kick off an unprecedented public engagement campaign called Born Learning. The Born Learning campaign is designed specifically to help young children prepare for school. It provides parents with tips and advice to create quality early learning opportunities for young children. The campaign offers "do-able" action steps that make it fun and easy to help young children learn during everyday activities such as sorting laundry and grocery shopping. The Born Learning campaign includes some $30 million worth of nationwide television, radio, newspaper, magazine, billboard, and transit ads; $7 million worth of parent education materials; a Web site for parents (www.bornlearning.org) with action tips, information and resources; and support for community activities. "United Way is taking part in the Born Learning campaign because we want to do all we can to help parents and caregivers prepare young children to succeed in school", says Terry Worthington, Any agency or business interested in participating in the Born Learning campaign or anyone seeking more information should call Success By 6 at 863-648-1500 ext. 265. Permalink | Comments (0) | More in: Success by 6 Posted by Congratulations to the Winners of SPIRIT OF THE FAMILY Award November 2, 2005 Small Companies Medium Companies Large Companies The Spirit of the Family Award was developed in 2001 to honor businesses that provide family friendly policies and workplaces. Winners of this award have demonstrated they are committed to providing policies that improve the quality of life by helping employees to balance work and family commitments. This investment in our children promotes greater economic health and a stronger workforce. Thank you and congratulations! For more information on how your company can implement some of these best practices, please contact Jodi Tucker, Success By 6 Director, at 863.648.1500 x265. Permalink | Comments (0) | More in: Success by 6 Posted by Spirit of the Family October 10, 2005 Success By 6, an initiative of the United Way of Central Florida, recognizes businesses in Polk and Hardee Counties that provide family-friendly policies and family-oriented benefits. Award winning organizations understand that quality early childhood programs strengthen the workforce both now and in the future. Model family-friendly workplaces promote parent education, dependent care services and participation in school activities and literacy events. Winners of the Spirit of the Family Awards understand that parents are a child's first teacher and that responsible parents are dependable employees. The 2005 Spirit of the Family award winners will be announced November 2, 2005 at the Success Rally to be held at the Lakeland Center. Permalink | Comments (0) | More in: Success by 6 Posted by Success By 6 Helps Children to Enter School Ready to Succeed October 7, 2005
Success By 6 spearheads a variety of projects to encourage early literacy skills that prepare children to enter school ready to succeed. The establishment of Parent Lending Libraries at childcare centers is one such project. In January 2005, there were only two Parent Lending Libraries in use. Through the generosity of sponsors, there are now twenty-one active Parent Lending Libraries. Libraries include a kiosk display, system to encourage use, parent education materials and more than 200 age-appropriate books. At the end of July, monthly utilization reports indicated that approximately 1,900 age-appropriate books had been checked-out by parents with their children. Bill Reid of Verizon Reads, America’s Literacy Champion, delivered a $5,000 check to Success By 6 on October 6, 2005. These funds will be used to provide five Parent Lending Libraries for preschool children and their parents. Also in October, Success By 6 was awarded a $42,000 Community Development Block Grant. In addition to administrative expenses and support materials, this grant will provide twenty-two Parent Lending Libraries within non-incorporated areas of Polk County such as Eaton Park, Highland City, Frostproof, Davenport, Dundee, Waverly, Mulberry, Auburndale & Fort Meade. Success By 6 set a goal to establish 500 Parent Lending Libraries in childcare facilities by 2010. More than fifty libraries will be in place by the end of 2005. The United Way of Central Florida and Success By 6 would like to thank the following generous businesses and civic organizations for sponsoring Parent Lending Libraries: North Lakeland Kiwanis (2) Make a difference! Success By 6 promotes early literacy programs that increase vocabulary, improve language Be a Sponsor! A four-sided library unit with approximately 200 new books can be purchased for $1,000. Quality age-appropriate new and/or gently used books may be donated to help reduce the cost of an individual library. Success By 6 will proudly provide a plaque honoring the Sponsor’s contribution of the Parent Lending Library.
Permalink | Comments (0) | More in: Success by 6 Posted by Penny Borgia Positive Parenting and Pizza Nights June 27, 2005 Uses a nationally recognized program to teach positive parenting skills, which will help parents/caregivers to prepare their children to enter school ready to succeed. Healthy Families will provide the classes with lively and informative discussions on hot parenting topics and Devereux Kids will provide capacity building and parent dialogue programs. Classes are FREE. Parenting materials, light supper and childcare is provided. Children will have age appropriate activities and get FREE books. The classes will be held in the Auburndale and Lake Wales a rea. Classes are held on Tuesday or Thursday evenings for 8 consecutive weeks. Classes will be forming September 2005, January 2006, and March 2006. Please call Success By 6 for more information on Positive Parenting and Pizza Nights or if you know of a person or business who would be interested in sponsoring a class. Permalink | Comments (0) | More in: Success by 6 Posted by Penny Borgia Parent Lending Libraries June 27, 2005 The Early Learning Coalition of Polk County allocated $10,000 in March, 2005 to the Success By 6 Parent Lending Library project. These funds will purchase a minimum of 200 books and 10 libra ry display cubes for childcare centers serving children at-risk of school failure. Parents are encouraged to check books out on a daily basis. The Parent Lending Library project includes incentives for parents and children who read together routinely. The Junior League of Greater Lakeland, long time advocates of early childhood and literacy, has sponsored nine Parent Lending Libraries. A cash donation combined with a contribution of quality childrens books purchased with profits from the highly successful Pig Fest, will generously supply these libraries housed in Lakeland childcare centers. Jr. League volunteers will also support the project with time and talent by routinely reading to children in sponsored centers. Success By 6 sponsors 21 Parent Lending Libraries in collaboration with businesses and civic organizations. Healthy Start Coalition, Republican Women's Club of Lakeland Federated and North Lakeland Kiwanis generously donated the first three libraries in 2004. Presbyterian Homes sponsored the first workplace library for their employees. Success By 6 received a $500 Polk County Schools Service-Learning Mini-Grant. Approximately 160 books were given to the children of parents attending Parent Education classes in Auburndale, Lake Wales and Winter Haven. Additional books were added to Parent Lending Libraries in childcare sites hosting parent education classes. The typical very low-income child has a vocabulary of only 3,000 words. The child prepared to enter kindergarten ready to succeed has a vocabulary of 20,000 words. Language skills are strong indicators of school success. Limited language skills can cripple the low-income child's ability to succeed in school. Success By 6 promotes early literacy programs that increase vocabulary, improve la nguage processing and boost the opportunity for success in school. Good Beginnings Never End. Thank you Early Learning Collation of Polk County, Junior League of Greater Lakeland and Polk County Schools for these 2005 donations! Success By 6 - Helping Children Enter School Ready to Succeed. Permalink | Comments (0) | More in: Success by 6 Posted by Penny Borgia |
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