Week of the Young Child Celebrates 6 Early Childhood Programs in CEHS

The Week of the Young Child, a program of the National Association for the Education of Young Children, is celebrated every year across the country in childcare centers, preschools and other early childhood education facilities. The NAEYC, dedicated to ensuring that all children reach their full potential, works to promote high-quality early learning for children from birth through age 8.

Within the Emma Eccles Jones College of Education and Human Services are six early childhood programs: Sound Beginnings, the Child Development Lab, Edith Bowen Laboratory School, ASSERT, and Care about Childcare. USU Extension also administers Cloverbuds at four of the statewide campuses.

The Dolores Dore Eccles Center for Early Care and Education (DDE), a childcare and education center that provides education seamlessly integrated with full-time care primarily for children of USU faculty, staff, and students. For the Week of the Young Child (April 8-12), the DDE has issued an open-ended invitation to all early childhood programs on campus to celebrate the young children they serve. During this week, daily activities at the DDE will range from arts and crafts projects to family picnics, but each program is encouraged to customize their own activities to support the weeklong celebration.

Lisa Boyce, DDE executive director and HDFS faculty member, says: “The purpose of the Week of the Young Child is to pay attention to the needs of young children and say, ‘Let’s get together and say that early childhood matters for our community.’ We want to recognize that there is much we can do for children in the first five years of their lives.”

The DDE is just one of many high-quality early childhood education programs offered within CEHS and the greater USU community. Combined, it is estimated that USU programs serve 10,000+ young children across the state every year. Following are some of USU’s programs, clinics, and services that enrich the lives of young children:

Sound Beginnings serves children from birth to age 6 who are deaf or hard of hearing and whose families want their child to learn to listen and talk.

The program’s focus is to help these children gain language, social-emotional and academic skills so they can successfully transition into general K-12 education. Parents and children may participate in various groups, classes (including kindergarten and pre-school programs), and therapy.

“Children in Sound Beginnings use hearing technology, such as hearing aids and cochlear implants, to develop and use listening and spoken language,” says Lauri Nelson, director of Sound Beginnings. “Events such as the Week of the Young Child help bring awareness to the importance of early and effective services that can have a lifelong impact on every child’s development.”

Sound Beginnings also partners with USU’s Pediatric Audiology clinic. Learn more about Sound Beginnings.

The Child Development Lab is a preschool program on the USU campus for infants through age 5. Approximately 100 children are enrolled in one of the four labs every semester.

The labs are organized by age and serve children in both morning and afternoon sessions. The lab’s foundational philosophy is that play creates a rich learning environment.

“By fostering curiosity, creativity and critical thinking at a young age, this program’s main focus is to instill a love for learning that stays with children throughout their academic and personal lives,” says Kelli Barker, director of the Child Development Laboratory. “We are excited to celebrate the Week of the Young Child by participating in the children’s parade.”

Learn more about the Child Development Lab.

Edith Bowen Laboratory School (EBLS) is a K-6 public charter school located on the Logan campus. The school is committed to building capable, lifelong learners through developmentally appropriate education, applied research and innovative educational practices.

EBLS has been nationally recognized as a Blue Ribbon School for its excellence in literacy learning. The school admits children on a lottery system with an annual enrollment capacity of 358. Learn more about EBLS.

ASSERT, an intensive preschool program that uses research-based instructional techniques to address the needs of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder, provides 20 hours of instruction every week for children between the ages of 3 and 5. Parents also receive extensive training through home consultation and in-classroom training on subjects such as mealtime behavior, sibling relationships, play skills, social skills, academic skills and more. Learn more about ASSERT.

The Cloverbuds 4-H program is administered through USU Extension and is available at four of the statewide campuses.

“The 4-H Cloverbud program is the first introduction for most youth to the 4-H program,” says Nicole Reed, 4-H program coordinator for Morgan County. “The program allows youth ages 5 to 8 to explore various 4-H programs through multiple avenues such as summer camps, clubs and afterschool programs.”

Care about Childcare is a program for families in Cache and Box Elder counties that guides them toward high-quality childcare options. The program also offers professional development resources and services for providers, including comprehensive training, program coaching and technical assistance.

“We recognize the importance of shaping a child’s future learning and development,” says Leah Schilling, director of Care About Childcare at USU. “It is during the early years that the foundations for lifelong learning are laid. Through our efforts, we strive to contribute to the development of well-rounded individuals who possess a love of learning.”

Learn more about Care About Childcare.

The Week of the Young Child will culminate in a DDE-sponsored children’s parade on the Logan Campus that is open to the children and families who are served by USU’s early childhood programs.

The children will follow a designated route around campus starting at 10 a.m. on Friday, April 12, on the lawn between the HPER and the EDUC buildings. Please arrive 15 minutes early. Parents/guardians may accompany their children throughout the parade. All young children, including babes in arms and in strollers, are invited to participate.

Costumes and noisemakers are welcome. For more information and to view the parade route, visit the DDE website.