March 29, 2021 Laurel, MS.— On Monday, Mayor Magee proclaimed an upcoming week this spring as the week of the young child. Board members from Nurture Our Future a new Jones-county based nonprofit supporting children from birth to age 10 along with the Laurel School District, staff from King Star and Queen Olive Head start centers were on hand to celebrate. Week of the Young Child (WOYC™ ) is The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) is honoring young children and those who make a difference in their lives during the 2021 Week of the Young Child™ (April 10th-16th) .
WOYC™ celebrates what quality early learning looks, sounds, feels like. In five fun-filled days, this campaign showcases hands-on collaborative activities encouraging movement and healthy lifestyles through music, food, art and more. Follow @MSNurtureOurFuture on Facebook or Instagram for the ways you and your child can participate. Each day focuses on a different theme.
Elizabeth Harris, founding board member and director of Nurture Our Future stated, “We wanted to celebrate “Week of the Young Child™ in Laurel and Jones County because we believe that the early years (birth through age 8) are critical learning years. Our new nonprofit will support children and families in our community during these critical years and beyond, so WOYC™ seemed like a perfect way to launch our work.” Dyon Ruffin of Friends of Children of Mississippi Head Start said of WOYC “We have been a part of this event for several years, and are excited to celebrate with other organizations who care about our community’s children this year. We also know how important early educators are to young children’s future success and are very proud of ours at the Head Start Centers around the city and county.”
The event also showcased a future collaboration between Laurel School District and Nurture Our Future, The Brain Bus, a mobile resource center and play lab that will travel around the community and engage families with fun, educational activities as well as connect them to existing resources from other local and state organizations. Lacey Slay, Public Relations Director for the Laurel School District said of the partnership, “Dr. Watts and our team want to do everything we can to support the children of our community and our future students. Working with Nurture Our Future to make the Brain Bus a reality seemed like the perfect opportunity to do that. We cannot wait to see it come to fruition.”
For more information, and to view all of the 2021 celebrations, follow the hashtag, #woyc21on social media or contact Elizabeth “Biz” Harris at biz.w.harris@gmail.com
About Nurture Our Future
Brains are built, not born. We are a 501c3 that provides out-of-school learning & enrichment experiences; resources like clothes, books, and toys; parent education; as well as service referrals to Laurel & Jones County families with children ages 0-10.
About Laurel School District
The mission of the Laurel School District is to develop productive citizens and successful lifelong learners by providing diverse educational opportunities.
Established in 1891, the Laurel School District has a rich history of providing a quality education to the children of Laurel. Comprised of six schools, the Laurel School District strives to provide a well-rounded curriculum that meets the needs of all students and is continually seeking innovative ways to keep students engaged and motivated.
About Friends of Children of Mississippi
Friends of Children of Mississippi (FCM), Inc. provides quality Head Start and Early Head Start Services to 2205 Head Start enrollees and 495 Early Head Start (Birth to 5 years old). Our mission is to strengthen children and families through community partnerships by:
- Providing a comprehensive child development program which enhances social competence.
- Assisting families to become self-sufficient and
- Serving as advocates for children and families.
