Harris-Stowe State University recently partnered with Nine PBS to give children toys, reading pads, and more! Get the full story Harris-Stowe below.
Harris-Stowe State University has partnered with Nine PBS to support early literacy at its Community Impact Network Education Center (Impact Education Center).
The Center recently opened Nine PBS Early Learning Nook to encourage early literacy for pre-K through third grade to experience learning through play. Nine PBS donated PBS KIDS Playtime pads, reading area furniture, and toys that encourage imagination and collaboration for the nook.
Harris-Stowe State University Impact Education Center Executive Director, Dr. Aline Phillips said, “We have designated an area on our lower level for this resource. We plan to use this space to encourage families and early childhood centers to bring young learners for storytelling, academic engagement, and literacy opportunities.”
The partnership is a part of a larger community initiative by the Nine PBS Raymond Wittcoff Community Engagement Fellowship. They were given the task of going into the community, creating partnerships, and connecting them to Nine PBS’s free educational resources.
“This partnership is more than just a shared space,” said Gina Watkins, a Wittcoff Community Engagement Fellow. “It is the hope that with this partnership between Harris-Stowe State University Community Impact Network Education Center and Nine PBS together, we can make a difference in the lives of the families of this community and do our part in changing the narrative.”
Watkins’ goal in initiating the partnership with Harris-Stowe is to promote early literacy and expose young children to the concept of advanced education at an early age.
“We understand that children with a solid foundation in pre-reading and social-emotional self-regulation skills would be on a path to college readiness,” Watkins said. “As young adults, parents, and grandparents benefit from the services offered by the Center, it would be child friendly, a space for early learners to engage in learning activities. The space could also be used as a resource room for neighborhood daycare facilities to hold events like parent meetings or hiring fairs.”
The Harris-Stowe State University Impact Education Center provides Early College Programs, Dual Enrollment, Continuing Education, HiSet Testing, and job training opportunities for students and families residing in the Normandy Collaborative School District and parts of North St. Louis County.
