Helping our littlest learners

Children take a break from learning and play at a Bright Beginnings center in Houston, one of 21 facilities in the city sponsored in part by ExxonMobil and the United Way.

On the playground at West End Child Care Center in Houston, things are hopping. In one corner, children paint in hues of orange and red to mark the first days of autumn. Nearby, two little boys on hands and knees bring dinosaur figurines to life, while three or four others play dress-up on the amphitheater stage, surrounded by tree stumps for seating.

To the casual observer, this might look like any ordinary playground, but this one has been designed for extraordinary results.

From the gardens the children have planted around the play areas to the wooden fence with toddler-height knotholes for tiny eyes to watch trains roll down a nearby track, it’s all part of an effort to instill important math and science concepts at a very young age.

This transformation from traditional child care to intentional learning is happening at 21 child care centers across Houston as part of Bright Beginnings, an innovative early childhood education initiative sponsored by ExxonMobil in partnership with the United Way of Greater Houston.

Since Bright Beginnings started in 2002, ExxonMobil has donated $7 million to enrich the educational experience of more than 3,000 infants to 5-year-olds at centers serving low-income families. And the results are impressive.

From child care to child development
Bright Beginnings children transitioning into kindergarten have made statistically significant higher reading achievement scores than their peers. According to ongoing assessments by the University of Houston Institute for Urban Education, classroom quality at Bright Beginnings centers has improved anywhere from 116 percent to 146 percent.

These results aren’t by accident. From developmentally appropriate outdoor playgrounds that feature butterfly and vegetable gardens to inviting classroom resource centers, Bright Beginnings turns everything into a learning opportunity at a critical time in the development of a child.

“Children are treasures,” says Anna Babin, president and CEO of United Way of Greater Houston, “and it’s our responsibility to help prepare them for success in life. We know that nearly 90 percent of brain development occurs before age 5, so early childhood education is essential in those formative years through programs like United Way Bright Beginnings. ExxonMobil has helped us create a model that is receiving national recognition and that truly enhances childhood education, giving all kids the opportunity to develop to their full potential.”

Hattie White (left) and Tammy Davis, both directors at child care centers in Houston, have seen firsthand how Bright Beginnings has changed children's lives.

Staff retention up 60 percent
ExxonMobil’s support of Bright Beginnings provides intensive staff training, leadership development, comprehensive curriculum, appropriate indoor and outdoor equipment, wage supplementation and educational scholarships for teachers.

In an industry that has a 41 percent staff-turnover rate, teacher training is key to the program’s success. Bright Beginnings teachers receive training in innovative, developmentally appropriate curriculum and teaching methods from some of the nation’s top education experts. Early childhood education consultants from the Collaborative for Children visit classrooms at least twice a month to help teachers bring learning concepts to life.

As a result, there has been a 60 percent increase in staff retention at Bright Beginnings centers. More staff members are also pursuing advanced degrees, including a 29 percent increase in the number of teachers acquiring Childhood Development Associate certificates. Many Bright Beginnings directors and teachers have gone on to earn associate, bachelor’s and master’s degrees in early childhood education.

Night-and-day difference Tammy Davis, director of the Alternative Learning Center and recipient of the Texas Administrator of the Year Award, sees a night-and-day difference since her center became involved with Bright Beginnings four years ago.

“We used to have swings and bouncers, and every baby was in something. Today I tell the parents that these are wonderful devices at home, but my staff is here to help your child grow and develop. Our babies are crawling and walking sooner because they are on the floor interacting with staff and developing the skills they need,” she says.

Those are exactly the results ExxonMobil and the United Way of Greater Houston envisioned when they set out to build an educational model to make it possible for young children to achieve educational milestones through quality child care.

Research shows that children with a quality early-care experience can expect to achieve greater success in school and are more likely to pursue a secondary education.

They are also likely to have higher employment and earning rates and lower welfare dependency. A 2006 study by the Bush School of Government and Public Service at Texas A&M University found that every $1 invested in high-quality pre-kindergarten education in Texas returns $3.50 per participant to the community.

An investment in the future
“For ExxonMobil, Bright Beginnings is an investment in the future,” says Rich Kruger, president, ExxonMobil Production Company. “While we have always supported math and science education in schools, this program is proving the value of teaching children critical-thinking concepts at very early ages.”

Hattie White, director of His Place child care center, says being part of Bright Beginnings is much more than changing equipment on the playground.

“It’s changing the lives of children,” she says. “It gives my staff and me exposure to a better way of teaching, and raises the level of expectations for the center, our children and the families we serve.”