United Way Works to Support Early Childhood Development and Education
Education is the cornerstone of individual and community success. But with more than 1.2 million children dropping out each year, America faces an education crisis. The cost? More than $312 billion in lost wages, taxes and productivity over their lifetimes.1 These trends are reversible, but only when communities and public, private and nonprofit sectors work together.
Our Goal
Global Outcome: Oconee County children, birth to fifth grade, have community supports in place to help ensure they enter school ready to learn and read at grade level.
Objectives
- Institute at least one new Born Learn Trail each year.
- Increase participation in the school readiness program from one class to two classes.
- Increase the number of summer camp program graduates to 25 in 2024.
- Coordinate placement of volunteer readers in 9 elementary schools by 2024.
Our Strategy
We can’t focus on high school alone. High school dropouts are 12 years in the making, usually starting early childhood education behind schedule. United Way's model focuses on supportive communities, effective schools and strong families — strategies and approaches rooted in research. Tackling the education challenge requires reframing education on a birth to 21 continuum.
How You Can Help
We need your help. The strategies proven to work are those that connect communities to their schools: parent involvement; literacy volunteers in the classroom; mentors for disadvantaged students; business leaders engaged in early childhood advocacy. If interested in volunteering, get in touch with us using the Contact Us form or call us at (864)-882-9743.
1Figure according to Communities in Schools, one of America’s leading drop-out prevention partnerships.
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