What's New
2008
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Preschool and Child Care Scholarship Programs
Income eligible families may qualify for assistance to provide a preschool experience for their children. Children must be 3 to 5 years of age and be able to attend one of 11 sites in Scott County. Scholarships pay for 15 hours of preschool time per week.
Income eligible families working or in school may be eligible for child care scholarships to assist with full or part-time care for children 0-5 years of age in licensed centers or registered homes.
For more information, or to apply, call Friendly House at 323-1821.
In a cooperative effort with other community leaders, Scott County Empowerment is focusing on letting the general community know about the importance of reading to babies and toddlers. Recent findings have emphasized that children who are read to from an early age develop a closer relationship with adults and a greater love and appreciation for books. The bond and warm feelings associated with sitting in a lap or next to an adult while being read to is a foundation for solid attachment. Even just a few minutes each day produces great benefits.
Empowerment is urging everyone to share books with young children. No child is too young. Hold the book so that the child can see the pictures. Choose a book that has large colorful pictures and for the very young child, just talk. As your child starts reaching for the pages, allow them to touch them and turn them. This is the time that books with hard pages are good. The library has some that can be checked out.
As children get older don't be surprised if they want to hear the same story over and over again. That's okay , in fact, it's great. We all have our favorites. Just read it again and soon they will be "reading" it to you. When your child starts retelling you the story, you'll know that you have done great steps in making him a reader. Sit back and enjoy the story. Don't worry if the words that he's "reading" aren't the ones on the page. He's retelling the story from memory - what a great step to becoming a reader! Ask him to read to you over and over again.
There are several programs in the community that will support your efforts to help your child become a good reader. Davenport Community Schools have a Read With Me program in many of the elementary schools. This is a wonderful time for you and your child to go to the school and hear a story. Afterwards, there are activities and at the end, your child gets to check out a book from the school library. This is very exciting for children and is a wonderful way for you to encourage this love for reading. You can find out about times and locations by calling (563) 336-5030. There is no charge for attending.
A similar program is found in many of the Bettendorf schools again at no charge. They even have a special time for very young children called "Tummy Time." Contact the Birth to 5 Coordinator at (563) 359-3681 for the times and locations.
Other community resources have focused on reading and young children. Miss Iowa, Erin Smith has taped a public service announcement for Empowerment and KWQC on the importance of reading. KWQC has also sponsored visits to local preschools and day care centers for Miss Iowa to talk with parents about the benefits of reading to young children.
The Quad City Times is sponsoring "Let's Read" a local initiative again targeted to getting people of all ages to read. Look for the Reading Adventures program to be offered later this year. Children and families attending will hear stories, meet authors and will also receive a book. Empowerment is happy to be providing the books for children ages birth to five that will be participating in the event this fall.
United Way's Success by Six Mobile Unit is also visiting selected communities and brining story opportunities to the people that live there. The United Way office will have a listings of times and locations.
As you can see, there are many, many groups that are encouraging people of all ages to read to children of all ages. This is because it is so VERY important. There is nothing that we can do that will make a greater impact on the type of community we live in. So, please, read to a child today. You both will benefit.