FIRST THINGS FIRST
My name is Patricia Brockert, and I have five grown children, seven grandchildren, and one great grandchild. I raised one learning disabled child, who had to be tutored for 12 years, and my great grandchild is autistic. I recently attended a workshop to learn more about First Things First. “First Things First works to make sure all kids in Arizona, ages birth to five years, are healthy and ready to succeed in school.”
One of the most dramatic things that I learned is how early a child’s brain is developed. It is imperative that every child is given the tools to help them succeed in school, and it is also imperative that every child starts getting this help the day they are born because about 80 % of a child’s critical brain development happens before age three and 90% happens before age five. We are all reading the newspaper and listening to news programs telling us that our education system is “broken.” And we also hear positive and uplifting news of schools in ghetto areas all over the United States who are succeeding in learning and going on to college. It’s all about early education and quality education – but most importantly it’s all about starting at birth and developing language and exposing them to books before they enter kindergarten.
In 2006, the voters of Arizona approved an 80-cent per pack tax on tobacco products to fund programs for all young children in Arizona from birth to five years and to make sure they are healthy and ready to succeed in school. First Things First is not bureaucracy-driven. Local people get to make the decisions regarding the funds that are spent for children in their communities, and 90 cents of every dollar that First Things First has goes directly to help these children.
If you want to learn more about First Things First, visit www.azftf.gov or contact Claire Louge at 928 776-0062 or [email protected]
And if you like what you learn about First Things First, please pass this information on to your friends and families so that more people can take advantage of giving their children a solid start in life.