STAMFORD, Conn. (April 18, 2017) — United Way of Western Connecticut (UWWC) together with the City of Stamford, the Stamford Public Schools, and The Ferguson Library are coming together for children during the Week of the Young Child™ (April 24-28, 2017). As part of the national Week of the Young Child™ celebrated across the country, Stamford, Connecticut is honoring young children and all those who make a difference in children’s lives. This year’s celebration is special because it coincides with the UWWC’s 17th annual Business to Books Read-a-thon, an event that was launched in 2002 to promote volunteerism in the community.
“All young children need and deserve high-quality early learning experiences that will prepare them for life, and Stamford, Connecticut has a great opportunity to do its part to help,” said Earl Kim, Superintendent of Stamford Public Schools. “Week of the Young Child™ is a time for Stamford, Connecticut to raise awareness of the importance of early learning experiences and the work of all those who make it possible.”
On Monday, April 24 at 10:00 a.m., Mayor David Martin, Superintendent Earl Kim, Kim Morgan, CEO of United Way of Western CT, and Matt Quinones, CEO of Stamford Public Education Foundation, will help kick off the week with a small ceremony in the lobby of Government Center. Legislators, parents, teachers, and children from APPLES Early Childhood Educational Center will be on hand. The ceremony also marks the start of Stamford Public Schools Kindergarten Registration and the new online system will be active and on display. Throughout the week, numerous activities will be held around Stamford, including story hour at The Ferguson Library from 7:00-8:00 p.m. on Thursday, April 27. Thanks to Purdue Pharma, every preschool child in Stamford is receiving a free Week of the Young Child activity placemat.
Monday also marks the kick off to the Business to Books Read-a-thon. During the week, business volunteers will be reading to more than 3,000 preschool, kindergarten and first grade children throughout Stamford. The purpose of the Business to Books initiative is to promote literacy and enhance public education by increasing community volunteerism in the schools. The following companies will read to children at Stamford elementary schools and a few select preschools:
- Deloitte
- Greenwich Associates
- Holland & Knight
- Indeed
- Kelley Drye & Warren LLP
- Legg Mason
- NBCUniversal
- Nestlé Waters North America
- Philips
- Pitney Bowes
- Shipman & Goodwin
- U.S. Trust
“The Business to Books Read-a-thon is a fun and educational event that both children and volunteer readers look forward to each year,” said Kim Morgan. “We all win when young people thrive in school. United Way is committed to helping children achieve greater academic success.”
Week of the Young Child™, sponsored by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), is an opportunity for early childhood programs across the country, including child care and Head Start programs, preschools, and elementary schools, to hold activities to bring awareness to the needs of young children.
Young children and their families depend on high-quality education and care, which help children get a great start and bring lasting benefits to Stamford, Connecticut. Week of the Young Child™ is a time to recognize the importance of early learning and early literacy, and to celebrate the teachers and policies that bring early childhood education to young children.