Strong Start Nevada is a community outreach program with similar education goals as Andson that believes that early childhood experiences lay the foundation for that child’s success throughout life. According to an article they wrote, “Young children’s brains develop 700 synapses [neural connections that support learning and skills] every second. Research shows that children begin developing their science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) skills well before high school, middle school or elementary school.” How awesome is that!? The younger the child, the more the child’s brain will retain information.
The Problem-
Nevada’s children have fallen behind in education. According to Strong Start Nevada, in Nevada we rank 50th in education in the nation. What exactly does this mean?
- 70% of our children never go to preschool
- 75% of our fourth graders cannot read proficiently
- 71% of our eighth graders cannot do math proficiently
- 42% of our high school students graduate late
The Result-
The destructive impact this has on our young adults who are struggling and not keeping up in Nevada’s current education system is limitless. Young adults are ill prepared for the world and work force, and in most cases they are not equipped to meet the standards that industries look for in their hiring processes. How many of our young adults are we talking about?
According to Strong Start Nevada:
- 75% of young adults (ages 17-24) would not qualify for the U.S. military, or meet the physical, behavioral, or educational standards that industries also look for today.
At-risk children are:
- 25% more likely to drop out of school
- 40% more likely to become teen parents
- 50% more likely to be placed in special education
- 60% more likely to never attend college
- 70% more likely to be arrested for a violent crime
The Plan of Action-
What do we need to do to better prepare our children in Nevada?
- Get personally involved in your children’s education. If you are a working parent, send your children to an after school program where they can receive the mentoring, tutoring, and homework help that they need to keep up to speed with their education, and keep their learning process as stress free as possible.
- Donate to organizations that support educating the children of Southern Nevada. Help provide learning resources and tools for them, as well as make sure they are affordable for all students.
- Volunteer. Personally make a difference in a child’s life by volunteering in organizations, such as Andson, and becoming a child’s mentor, tutor, and motivation.