The Weekly Briefing
| Welcome to The Weekly Briefing, featuring news from Children's Futures, updates about our community partners' activities and links to recent news articles about early childhood health and development. | |
| Volume 2, Number 20 | June 6, 2008 |
In This Issue
- Impact of Children's Futures
- CF Board Salutes Melinda Green for Service to Trenton's Children and Families
- Trenton READS Debuts This Weekend at Heritage Days
- Students Display Media Savvy in Presenting CF-Inspired Projects
- Survey on Health and Well-Being Improvements Continues
- Links to News Articles
- Prenatal Nurse Home Visitation Could Reduce Disparities
- Fatty Acids Improve Preterm Infants' Mental Abilities
- FDA Proposes New Drug Label System
- Community Activities
- Platinum Dads' Awards Breakfast Saturday Features Former NFL Great Gary Cobb
- Trenton Heritage Days Set for this Saturday and Sunday at the Statehouse Complex
- Trenton Kappa Foundation to Honor Students
Impact of Children's Futures
CF Board Salutes Melinda Green for Service to Trenton's Children and Families
Children's Futures' Board of Directors praised CF Vice President Melinda Green for her efforts to enhance the health and well-being of Trenton's children and families. "Helping implement new child care and parenting programs for thousands of Trenton families is just one result of her dedicated commitment," noted Children's Futures' Board Chair and former New Jersey Commissioner of Health Christine M. Grant. Ms. Green, who announced her resignation effective June 30th, will become a Boston-based consultant beginning this summer. At Children's Futures, she has directed the development of the early care and education initiatives, including: child care systems, child and family literacy, leadership and capacity building efforts for Trenton nonprofit organizations; and the CF grant-making process.
"Melinda Green has a passion for children and making sure they have the tools they need to reach their fullest potential from the very start. She has had a major impact on every aspect of our work," said Children's Futures' President and Board Member Floyd K. Morris, Jr.
Prior to joining CF, she served as the director for the African-American Early Childhood Resource Center at the Washington, D.C.-based National Black Child Development Institute (NBCDI). Ms. Green also spent a decade as executive director of the Child Care Connection (CCC), the regional child care resource and referral agency located in Mercer County that now administers the Children's Futures' child care quality improvement program. She has also held positions in the early care and education field including work as a therapeutic teacher of preschool neurologically impaired and disabled children. Ms. Green is a past president of the board of directors of the National Association of Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies. She is also a member of the Board of Trustees of the Princeton Area Community Foundation.
Ms. Green will be honored by Children's Futures and its community partners at a reception being planned for June 27th. For more information, please email spritchett@childrensfutures.org
During a CF Board of Directors' meeting this week, (from left) Children's Futures' Board Chair Christine Grant, Board Member Dr. Linda Randolph, and (far right) Board Vice Chair Ana Berdecia shared reminiscences about CF's Vice President Melinda Green (second from right).
Trenton Reads Debuts This Weekend at Heritage Days
A citywide literacy initiative launches this weekend at Trenton Heritage Days with programs for the entire family. Trenton Mayor and Children's Futures' Board Member Douglas H. Palmer said the Trenton READS initiative, "... will create community-based approaches that encourage our entire city to read." Families coming to the Trenton READS tent (located on West State Street between the Statehouse and Thomas Edison State College) will be treated to a free book distribution, hourly children's book readings, and opportunities to participate in arts and crafts activities based on the books that are being read. Reading pledge cards will also be available for children and adults who promise to participate in a summer reading program.
Spearheaded by the Mercer County Workforce Investment Board (WIB), other organizations collaborating on the early childhood literacy sub-committee with Children's Futures include the College of New Jersey, the Trenton Board of Education, Child Care Connection, the Trenton Public Library, Mercer Street Friends, and Camp Fire USA. Representatives from these organizations have been working on the Early Childhood Sub-Committee to address language development, vocabulary building and other skills critical to a child's growth and development. Early childhood literacy is part of Children's Futures' work in Trenton to ensure school readiness.
Trenton Mayor Douglas H. Palmer is flanked by Trenton READS co-chairs Floyd K. Morris, Jr., President of Children's Futures and Dr. Alma Salter, Assistant Superintendent of Trenton Schools.
Members of the Early Childhood Sub-Committee plan activities for the launch of Trenton READS at Heritage Days.
Mom reads to her son at a Children's Futures' Parent/Child Center
Students Display Media Savvy Presenting CF-Inspired Projects
On Tuesday evening, Trenton Central High School students presented their Trenton Youth Communications Partnership (TYCP) media showcase projects to a large crowd of business leaders, media representatives, educators and parents. During a 12-week Trenton Public Education Foundation (TPEF) mentoring program, the students visited media outlets, advertising agencies and agency marketing departments to learn about effectively communicating stories through the media and other avenues.
The final showcase projects were based on health topics provided by Children's Futures and judged on content, creativity and presentation quality. Uniquea Antley, mentored by Children's Futures with support from Melinda Green, Joyce Kersey and Iris Rawls, won first prize (a laptop computer and printer) in the competition. In her presentation, Uniquea described how implementing a city-wide "greening initiative" could contribute to safe and healthy environments for Trenton's children and families. Dr. George Pruitt, President of Thomas Edison State College (TESC), surprised two of the top four competitors by awarding them paid summer internships at TESC.
In addition to Children's Futures, partners in this mentor-based internship program included: Capital Health System, Community News Service, LLC (Trenton Downtowner, etc.), Deutsch Communications Group, Thomas Edison State College, Educational Testing Service (ETS), Joseph Jingoli & Son, Learning for Life (Boy Scouts of America), Mercer County Community College (TV, Radio and WWFM 89.1), New Jersey Network (NJN), Princeton Plasma Physics Lab (PPPL), PSE&G, Rutgers University, The Next Level Consulting, LLC, The Trentonian, The Times, Trenton Central High School, Trenton Public Schools, Trenton Thunder, Vagabond Vistas Photography, Verizon, and WIMG AM 1300.
Here is contact information for the TPEF: Post Office Box 22545 Trenton, NJ 08607; Phone: 609.777.5663; Fax: 609.777-2956; E-mail: info@tpef.org or valerie@tpef.org
Following the annual "Showcase" presentations on Tuesday evening at Trenton Central High School, Trenton Public Education Foundation Board President Pamela Pruitt (l) posed with the award-winning students from the 2008 Trenton Youth Communications Partnership Program.
Survey on Health and Well-Being Improvements Continues
Public/Private Ventures (P/PV), a national research organization based in Philadelphia (www.ppv.org), is still conducting an evaluation of the Children's Futures initiative. As part of the evaluation, in March, interviewers from the Center for Survey Research at the University of Virginia began calling Trenton residents who were randomly selected to complete a 25-minute telephone interview, the 2008 Children's Futures Community Survey. This is the second time that Trenton residents will have participated in this interview - 654 residents completed a similar interview in 2002.
Trenton residents eligible to complete the interview include parents of children aged 5 years or younger. Those who complete the interview will receive a $10 gift card from Wal-Mart as compensation for their time. The interviews ask residents questions about their background, neighborhood, child care, health, health insurance coverage, family planning, and social services utilization. Interviewers will continue to call residents primarily during the evening hours and on weekends. The evaluation will help Children's Futures identify the ways in which Trenton agencies have met the initiative's goals of improving the health and well-being of Trenton's young children.
Links to Print/WEB News
Prenatal Nurse Home Visitation Provided to Black Women Reduces
Chances of Preterm Delivery, Could Help Reduce Disparities, Study
Finds
The Kaiser Disparities Health Report details a Maryland
study reported in the Journal of the National Medical Association
Mom's Behavior Key to Dad's Involvement in Child Care
According
to new research from Ohio State University, mothers play an important
role in determining how much fathers get involved in taking care
of their infants
Fatty Acids Improve Preterm Infants' Mental Abilities
According to a Reuters Health report, Norway researchers have
found very preterm infants who are fed human milk that is supplemented
with fatty acids show signs of improved intellectual development.
FDA Proposes New Drug Label System
Women and their doctors may soon have better information about
the safety of drugs taken during pregnancy and breastfeeding,
according to this USA Today article.
Children's Futures' Board
Tours City of Trenton, Looking to Improve Child Health & Development
Outcomes
The City of Trenton's Home Page features a brief story on Thursday's
CF Board of Directors' tour of the centers and neighborhoods
where efforts are focused to improve early childhood health and
development outcomes..
Specialist Can Help to Better Control Asthma
Children's Futures' Board Member Dr. Kendall Sprott writes about
children's health and development issues in his weekly column
for the Star Ledger.
Upcoming Community Activities
June 2008
Today, Friday, June 6:
The Trenton Book Fair Day 1: Part of Heritage Days Festival on Warren Street in downtown Trenton featuring authors, workshops, readings, poetry jams and more. For more information and a complete schedule, please link to www.trenton-downtown.com/bookfair .
Tomorrow, Saturday, June 7:
Tickets Available at the Door: Third Annual Platinum Dads Celebration: $25; 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.; Trenton Marriott at Lafayette Yard. Special Keynote Speaker: Former Philadelphia Eagle star linebacker Garry "G" Cobb. Since his NFL career ended, he has hosted a radio talk show on 610-WIP and was a sports anchor and reporter on CBS-3 television in Philadelphia. G. Cobb is currently a football analyst for Comcast's CN8 television network in addition to being a columnist for the Philadelphia Evening Bulletin newspaper. For more information, please call UIH Family Partners at 609-695-1492 or 695-3663.
Trenton Heritage Days: free; Statehouse Complex, West State Street, 12 to 8 p.m. Come Visit the Children's Futures' Tent and the Trenton READS Tent!
The Trenton Book Fair Day 2: Part of Heritage Days Festival on Warren Street in downtown Trenton featuring authors, workshops, readings, poetry jams and more. For more information and a complete schedule, please link to www.trenton-downtown.com/bookfair.
Sunday, June 8:
Trenton Heritage Days: free; Statehouse Complex, West State Street, 12 to 8 p.m. Come Visit the Children's Futures' Tent and the Trenton READS Tent!
Friday, June 13:
Nicky's Mission: Kick-Off Event: Donation $50; 5 to 7 p.m.; Stark and Stark Law Firm, 993 Lenox Drive, Lawrenceville. Special Guest: Daniel J. Licht, M.D., Assistant Professor of Neurology and Pediatrics and Director of Neurovascular Imaging Lab at Philadelphia Children's Hospital. For more information about this cause and event, please link to www.caringbridge.org/visit/nicky.
Saturday, June 14:
Annual Formal Dinner Dance Honoring Trenton Youth, Presented by the Trenton Kappa Foundation, Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Trenton Alumni Chapter and Children's Futures: 7 p.m.; Trenton Marriott at Lafayette Yard. For information, please email Garvester.Kelley@nffusa.org
Ongoing Community Activities
CF Center-Based Programs for Parents and Children: Free programs at Children's Futures' centers provide expectant parents and parents of newborns and toddlers with opportunities to enhance their parenting knowledge and skills. Children's Futures' partners offer these sessions to improve literacy, promote nutrition, address behavioral health issues, build children's musical awareness and encourage parent/child bonding. For more information, please call Tonya Bellamy at 609-695-1977 (ext. 109) or email tbellamy@childrensfutures.org.
Isles, Inc. is providing dust sampling in 115 homes to determine if hazardous lead levels are present. If high levels are found, Isles will counsel parents about next steps including---protecting their children, speaking to a landlord, working with a city housing inspector, and applying for loans or grants to make a home lead safe. For more information, please call 609 341-4703.
The New Jersey State Parent and Information Resource Center, a program of Prevent Child Abuse New Jersey, has valuable services available for schools and community agencies (including FREE workshops for parents to support parental involvement efforts) Workshops are provided on a first-come, first-serve basis with priority given to schools/agencies that can gather more than 30 parents per session. For more information please call 732-246-8060 ext. 110. To receive workshop application forms, please email Cdeisroth@preventchildabusenj.org
CitySmiles Offers Information About Programs Throughout the Year for Children and Families: For more information about fun and educational programs for children and parents contact CitySmiles at Lkasabach@aol.com or link to CitySmiles.org
Camp Fire USA of New Jersey: Children's Futures' Community partner in the Trenton Reach Out and Read program is again selling discounted tickets for Six Flags Great Adventure. All proceeds benefit Camp Fire programs for the prevention of violence, child abuse, abduction and substance abuse The $30 ticket is good for any one day admission to the theme park for adult or child. To order tickets: Check or money order should be made payable to Camp Fire USA ($30 per ticket and $3 per order for postage and handling) and sent to Camp Fire USA New Jersey Council, 535 East Franklin Street, Trenton, NJ 08610. For more information, please call: (609) 695-8410.
For a complete calendar of events, please refer to our calendar page.
About Children's Futures
Established in 2001 with major support from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Children's Futures is a nonprofit organization that works city-wide in Trenton, N.J. to improve child health and development outcomes. Through an unprecedented collaboration among public agencies and nonprofit organizations, Children's Futures seeks to strengthen parenting, increase access to primary quality health care and child care systems, and increase social supports for families, so that every child in Trenton enters preschool healthy and ready to learn.