Bridgeport Children SOAR With Quality Early Education

The children at Housatonic Community College’s Early Childhood Laboratory School took the term “soar” literally as they celebrated the national “Week of the Young Child” on April 14 with a kite-flying event.  Mother Nature tried to be agreeable – but the wind didn’t always cooperate.

“Run!” encouraged Heidi Szobota, director of the lab school, to each of the children as they took a turn with the kites. 

Besides kite-flying on April 14, which piqued the interest of many HCC students, the week was filled with events to celebrate young children, including a viewing of the film “Nursery University,” a program called “Literacy Through Lyrics,” (which helped support language skills through music, singing and clapping) and a cultural competence interactive workshop with two HCC professors Tom Coakley and Maria Vergara, all sponsored by the early childhood education program at HCC. There was also the “Little Hands Art Show” set up in the cafeteria of the school, celebrating the artwork of children from the Greater Bridgeport Director’s Network – the Lab School, St. Paul’s Child Development Center, Precious Memories, Precious Memories Early Learning Center Toddler Room 3, Helen King Reynolds Private School and Creative Development Daycare Center.

The “Week of the Young Child,” sponsored by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), helps focus public attention on the needs of young children and their families and to recognize the early childhood programs and services that meet those needs.

“Children are our future adults and our future workforce and it’s important to make sure they have the quality foundation they need to succeed in life,” said Szobota. “At the early learning level, we need to help them lay the foundation for life-long success.”