At the March 21st City Council meeting, Osceola’s Mayor, Thomas Kedley and The Village Early Childhood Center’s Executive Director, Crystal Hansen announced the recognition of The Week of the Young Child – April 1st through April 7th 2023.
Check out the video launching The Week of the Young Child in Osceola, Iowa
The Week of the Young Child celebrates and honors those who provide some of the most valuable community services – early childhood care and education. For communities throughout the nation, early childhood care and education are in extremely high demand. Those who offer the services, like The Village Early Childhood Center, not only give parents and families a resource for childcare, bust also start the valuable education and development of important life skills for their children.
In an official proclamation, read by Mayor Kedley during the recent City Council meeting, he states:
“…the first years of a child’s life are the period of most rapid brain development and lay the foundation for all future learning…”
Through the proclamation, the Mayor officially recognized April 1 – 7, 2023 as “The Week of the Young Child” in Osceola. With the City’s endorsement and support, The Village Early Childhood Center’s Executive Director, Crystal Hansen, hopes the community, including government officials, state legislators, and congress will commit and focus their attention to the growing needs of early childhood education across the Nation.
SOME EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT FACTS:
- 90% of a brain growth happens before the age of 5 years.
- At birth, a baby’s brain is about a quarter the size of an adult brain. It doubles in size the first year; grows to 80% by age 3, and 90% by age 5.
- In the state of Iowa, over 20,000 low-income children have no access to pre-kindergarten services.
- Children who receive early childhood care are 25% more likely to graduate high school and 4-times more likely to complete higher education.
- 44.7% of childcare providers are considering closing their programs in the next year due to the childcare crisis.
A favorite quote of Hansen’s is:
“America does not work without childcare. Childcare does not work without congress support.”