Programs for Children At Risk

Purpose : Promote Programs for Children At Risk in Rotary District 6110. Our primary emphasis is on programs to enhance early childhood development from conception through age 5, when the seeds of behavioural excellence or problems are usually planted and take root. Early childhood development opportunities for age 0 to 2 are most critical and shortest in supply. Services for older children at risk are also promoted.

The March 1999 Rotarian Magazine, entitled "Children in Crisis: How can we help?" had some excellent articles, one including 100 ways Rotary Clubs can help children at risk.

Click HERE to download or see the Programs for Children at Risk presentation from District Conference 2001 (PowerPoint format).

An excellent book about early childhood development is Ghosts from the Nursery : Tracing the Roots of Violence by Robin Karr-Morse and Meredith S. Wiley from The Atlantic Monthly Press, 1997. It does an excellent job of presenting the latest research results on the topic in a very readable fashion. The New York Times reviewed the book and has the first chapter on-line, although it's hard to understand how they came up with their only negative comment after having read the book.

The best example in District 6110 of what can be done to consolidate services benefitting children is The Family Resource Center of Pittsburg, Kansas, aka The Center. This award winning center was the result of a community partnership led by the three largest employers. It's now a model for new centers being started elsewhere. Rotary can't take credit for initiating The Center, but the Rotary Clubs of Pittsburg, Kansas do support it. With the cross section of community leaders normally found in Rotary clubs, it's quite possible for Rotarians to initiate the community partnerships to create other such centers. Monica Murnan, Executive Director of The Center, will be speaking at the Reveille Rotary Club of Claremore, Oklahoma on 24 May 2001 at 6:30 am. If you're interested in visiting this meeting, please call Mike Swatek at 918-342-4245 with your RSVP.

Success By 6 is a community-wide initiative taking place in many communities across America. It is designed to target the needs of infants and small children to make sure they are healthy, protected, cared for, stimulated, and prepared for school by the age of six. Rotarians are well placed to be the catalyst for this initiative in their communities.

Other links to good information on Programs for Children at Risk are:

• Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy has links to several excellent programs from their website.
• Reaching for the Stars Program designed to provide incentives for improvement of Oklahoma's child care facilities.
• Carolina Abecedarian Project Study which scientifically shows that early childhood education, beginning at early infancy, is more important to a child's future than any other educational development opportunities they will have.

Rotary District Programs for Children At Risk Co-Chairs:

• Richard “Dick” Mosher
  Rotary Club of Bartlesville, OK
  "Success by Six" Oklahoma State Coordinator
  918-333-4134 home
  918-333-4132 fax
  
• Mike Swatek
  Rotary Club of Claremore Reveille, OK
  918-342-4245 home
  918-342-8639 office
  918-342-7933 fax
  Contact Mike Swatek email

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