DATE: Thursday, October 9, 1997             TAG: 9710080198

SECTION: NORFOLK COMPASS         PAGE: 06   EDITION: FINAL 

TYPE: COVER STORY 

SOURCE: BY JOAN C. STANUS, STAFF WRITER 

                                            LENGTH:  119 lines

GETTING AN EVEN START FEDERAL GRANT PROVIDES $200,000 LITERACY ASSISTANCE TO ENTIRE AT-RISK FAMILIES, FROM INFANTS TO ADULTS.

FOR EDUCATORS at Norfolk's Berkley-Campostella Early Childhood Center, it just makes common sense: If you help the parents, you help the children.

And, if you intervene early enough in a child's life, you might just have a shot at breaking the cycle of poverty and adult illiteracy that continues to plague many of the city's most at-risk families.

Until recently, however, the teachers have been limited to focusing primarily on children in the classroom, helping at-risk 3- and 4-year-olds ``get ready to learn'' and enter school.

But now, thanks to an annual $200,000 federal ``Even Start'' grant, for the next four years they'll have the chance to make a difference in the lives of entire families - from infants to parents. And they'll receive help from more than a dozen community agencies.

``This program addresses the needs of the entire family instead of targeting different elements,'' noted Vanessa Bridgers, facilitator for the program, instituted in September at the early education center.

``You can't make an impact on children until you make an impact on parents. Once you've done that, you see a change. When the parents become life-long learners, so will the children. So if we can help the parents become full partners in the education of their children, then the cycle will not continue because they'll be helping their children reach their full potential.''

Awarded through the Virginia Department of Education, the grant program is part of a national effort to improve the educational opportunities of the nation's low-income families by integrating early childhood education with adult literacy education. Norfolk's funding, which comes from federal monies and local matching funds, continues through the year 2000.

``This program really ties together what we've been doing here at the center for years,'' noted Cheryl Bunch, the school's principal. ``Everything centers around family literacy, and now we're finally bringing all the elements together under one umbrella to try and solve this thing.''

Thirty Norfolk families with 44 children from birth to 3 years have been selected to participate in the program. Almost all are headed by single females who currently receive government assistance. None of the parents have high school diplomas.

As part of Even Start, the adults attend GED preparation classes during the day at the center, while their children are cared for by early education specialists in a downstairs nursery.

At least once a day, the parents come together with their children to learn to ``play constructively.'' At various activity centers, they build castles, read books, play computer games or paint pictures.

``Research shows that the earlier you reach a child, the greater their chances of success,'' said Bunch. ``From the moment they're born they need to be educationally stimulated, and it's largely the parents who need to do this.''

At the center, parents also receive instruction in child-rearing skills, attend nutrition and health classes, get on-the-site work experience, and participate in a support group with other parents. At an on-site satellite branch of social services, they also have access to private counseling with case workers, who team with literacy educators and other center professionals to help the families accomplish set goals. Team members even make home visits to work with family members individually.

``The good thing about this program is that it's geared to meet an individual family's goals,'' explained Bridgers. ``They can stay in it until their youngest child completes preschool. So, it gives us an opportunity to work with them for years to help them meet all the goals for their family.''

Participating in the program, organizers admit, is ``almost like holding down a full-time'' job.

``They have to come with a total commitment because we ask a lot of them,'' noted Cheryl Clark, the program's family literacy educator. ``But this can change their lives.''

For many participants, faced with recent welfare reforms, the biggest challenge to accomplishing their goals - especially the educational component - will be in learning to juggle the demands of the program with the requirements of the new welfare legislation. Attending classes during the day may be nearly impossible, for example, while holding a full-time job. Many of the adult participants have hopes of going on to college once they've earned their GEDs.

``It's going to be difficult for them to meet the welfare reform requirements and complete their goals in this program,'' admitted Bridgers. ``They'll be under a lot of pressure, but hopefully, we can make it an easier stride for them.''

To help make the going easier, community agencies - such as the Norfolk Redevelopment and Housing Authority, the city's human resources and social services departments, the STOP program, area Literacy Council and others - have joined as partners with the early education center to provide transportation, job training skills, in-services programs, free books and part-time jobs.

``This is a comprehensive literacy program,'' stressed Margaret Taylor, the school system's senior coordinator for special projects and the administrators who oversees the program. ``We're not talking about one component standing alone. The school and the community are now holding hands . . . working in a collaborative effort to make a real difference in a population we've all already been serving.''

For Akyia Sweat, who quit Lake Taylor High School a few months shy of graduation to have her son, Cortez, the program is her best hope for eventually finding a decent job and getting completely off welfare, she said. A part-time cashier at MacDonalds, Sweat recently rented her first apartment.

``If I had known I'd go all through this, I'd have tried to stay in school and pay attention and study more,'' the 19-year-old Norfolk resident admitted. ``It's a lot of hard work being on your own, paying bills and raising a kid. I don't want him to go through with what I have.''

With Even Start, the Norfolk educators are betting Cortez will be the start of a new future for his family.

``For the first time, we're teaching parents with their children to do this thing called `learning,' '' noted Taylor. ``The parents are learning; the children are learning. And they're learning together. With these strategies, we'll soon see the light at the end of the tunnel.'' ILLUSTRATION: Staff photo by RICHARD L. DUNSTON

Akyia Sweat tends to her 18-month-old son, Cortez, at the Early

Childhood Center. She says the Even Start program is her best hope

for finding a decent job and getting off welfare.

Photo by GARY C. KNAPP

A tricycle relay was one of the events held at the

Berkley-Campostella Early Childhood Center to entice families to the

Even Start program.

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