A Seasoned Provider
When Debbie Drew took on the challenge of YoungStar at her program, St. John’s Development Center, she was no stranger to early education. Debbie has over 25 years of working in early childhood education to bolster her current leadership role as Administrative Director, and it is that experience and knowledge that made Debbie quickly recognize the value of YoungStar for her program. “I told my staff, we have a choice,” said Debbie, at the recent Symposia Series on Supporting Healthy Early Brain Development in Madison. “[In YoungStar] we can lead, follow, or stay behind…and they knew I wouldn’t stand for anything but leading.” With their first micro-grant the program took the lead when they bought two rocking chairs for their infant room. They went through three to four rocking chairs a year because they broke easily due to low quality. When their garbage man came to take the old ones away, explained Debbie, he commented that, “All I ever haul out of here is rocking chairs,” and offered to buy the program new ones. When Debbie showed him they already had new ones and explained about YoungStar, he donated $500 to the program anyways, which they put right back into another classroom. “Just educating him about [YoungStar] and what we do was so exciting!” said Debbie.
Beyond Rocking Chairs
As Debbie’s program continued through YoungStar, they gained more opportunities for improvement. Debbie’s staff started out with only two Associate’s degrees amongst them. Now, thanks to YoungStar trainings and T.E.A.C.H. scholarship support, most of her staff have either a Bachelor’s or an Associate’s Degree in Early Childhood. Furthermore, Debbie has retained the same staff for ten or more years because she invested in them, and has even been able to expand her staff and her program, to include a school age component. “Since YoungStar, there is a difference in the way staff acts,” said Debbie. “They see themselves as professionals and now it’s, ‘What’s our next challenge?’ We are all proud to be early childhood professionals.” Debbie’s program has earned 5 Stars, and now Debbie’s staff often help other programs navigate YoungStar, which Debbie sees as another advantage of the rating system. “YoungStar gives child care providers something in common so we are not on separate ‘islands’” said Debbie. “We are trying to help each other.”
A Brighter Future
One of the most apparent by-products of YoungStar’s positive impact on Debbie, her staff, and the program itself, is evident in the children they care for. YoungStar has “helped the children tremendously,” said Debbie. Not only by creating a better program to support them, but also by focusing on parent engagement so that learning extends beyond the classroom. “YoungStar teaches us how to talk to a parent, or to a family,” said Debbie. “This helps us and it helps the families and children.” Debbie looks forward to ongoing improvements to her program through YoungStar, and to continue acting as a mentor to other providers and programs. “Pick one or two things to work on and as long as you have a plan to improve, you are good,” Debbie advised. “We are all at different levels for different reasons, so start with what your budget can do, and try to be creative in using your money.”
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