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Region Stories

These stories illustrate how early childhood programs and services funded by First Things First make a difference for young children and families in communities across Arizona.

brothers-smiling

Pinal brothers use Fun Van to prepare for kindergarten

  • literacy

Eli Macias was a quiet 3 year old from Casa Grande when he started participating in the First Things First-funded mobile literacy program called Fun Van. Soon,…
child-smiling

Parents As Teachers shows Cochise County mom how to teach son independence

  • parenting education

First-time mom Athena Reynolds was looking for a support system.“I was clueless,” Reynolds said, thinking back to when her son Alexander was born. “I…

Oro Valley family builds confidence in role as their child’s first teacher

  • family support

​​Angie Hitt had been an elementary school teacher for eight years before she had her first child. She enrolled in the Parents as Teachers home visiting…
mom-in-class-with-kids

Family resource center empowers Phoenix boy to find independence

  • Phoenix South

Felicitas Padron of Phoenix assumed that her children’s learning started with their kindergarten teacher. The mother of three learned otherwise at the…

Resource center helps Phoenix mother prepare her daughter socially and academically for school

  • family support

​​​On most days, Gaby Acosta refills the snack machines throughout various schools in the Washington Elementary School District in Phoenix as part of her…

Support for Holbrook grandparents raising grandchildren

  • developmental screenings

Cathy Grant’s grandson had a rough start in life.When he and his younger sister came to live with Grant, Jacob was almost 4. Yet, he had speech delays and…

Healthy Steps helps Joseph City preschooler find help to be successful in school

  • school readiness

​​Around the time that Sherri McCollan’s daughter Carmen turned 4 years old, she began to notice some changes in her daughter’s personality. McCollan…

Quality preschool ensures school readiness for Bullhead City siblings

  • school readiness

​​Cost and convenience are what first attracted Amanda Amann to Tiny T-Birds Early Childhood Center in Bullhead City, but the mother of two said it was the…

Home visitation services help Colorado City boy improve verbal skills to start kindergarten on…

  • family support

​​Without the support of home visitation services, Tiffanie Barlow’s son likely would not have started kindergarten on time.“He was two years old, and…

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