Regardless of who you choose for the upcoming Dancing with the Pagosa Stars fundraiser, you’ll be helping to ensure success for the youngsters at Seeds of Learning.
By Toni Sherwood
Seeds of Learning
Whether we’re voting for the head of the condo association, the next American idol or president of the United States, we wonder, who is this person? Do they really deserve my vote?
That’s why we at Seeds of Learning want you to know who you’re voting for when you participate in our fundraiser Dancing with the Pagosa Stars.
You see, this event actually ends on Aug. 21 — culminating with the ultimate dance competition at the Ross Aragon Community Center -— but it begins right now with your vote.
Yes, you’ll check a box for one of the six truly selfless volunteer stars when you go to our website to vote, but you’ll actually be voting for these precious little ones.
Regardless of who you choose, every dollar is a vote that ensures the success of a young scholar.
Seeds serves children from all income levels and family situations using a sliding scale for tuition. Our parents can be spotted all over town, in the service industry, retail and medical professions, among others. Some kids are being raised by grandparents. We have children in foster care. We have children of single parents who must work or with newborns at home who require their undivided attention.
Whoever they are and wherever they come from, all kids are treated equally and offered individualized learning programs based on their strengths and weaknesses. The care and individual attention these students get at Seeds makes all the difference in their future.
Without early childhood education, whether at Seeds, home schooling or elsewhere, kids are in jeopardy of being left behind. Left behind in brain development. Left behind in learning. Left behind their peers.
The benefits of early childhood education have been studied beginning with the Perry Study in 1962-1967 and they have continued to follow the students to present day via the longitudinal study.
From the website: https://highscope.org/perry-preschool-project/.
“The longitudinal study found that at age 40, the participants who experienced the preschool program:
• Had fewer teenage pregnancies.
• Were more likely to have graduated from high school.
• Were more likely to hold a job and have higher earnings.
• Committed fewer crimes.
• Owned their own home and car.
As the longest-running longitudinal study in early education, the Perry Study continues to prove that investing in high-quality early education yields positive results for children and families.”
So, please do take a minute now to vote for any of these brave stars: Tim Sullivan, Betsy Burnett, Derek Pepin, Terrie Frahm, Len Liszewski or Heather Simpson; they are doing their darndest to drum up funds for the young scholars at Seeds. There is a button to vote at the top of our homepage: https://growingseeds.org/.
And when a star asks you to “Vote for me,” you’re really voting for Seeds to continue its vital role in our community and for the future of these adorable youngsters full of promise.
