Kris Evans receives Division of Early Childhood Award

Our very own Kris Evans, who has been with us for 16 years, was awarded the Division of Early Childhood Mentorship award! Kris was flown to Chicago to accept the prestigious and well-deserved award in person.

What mentees say about Kris:

“Kris is a patient and caring mentor, that pushes her mentees to excellence, while helping them feel empowered and confident in their own skill set. She is always eager to answer questions and help-out, no matter how simple or difficult the task may be.”

Kris exemplifies the dedication and service that all of us here at Root for Kids strive for. Congratulations, Kris!

San Juan County Early Intervention contract is granted to Root for Kids

On July 1^st, Root for Kids was awarded the contract to San Juan County’s Early Intervention program. This Early Intervention program has served San Juan County for over 30 years. Early Intervention provides services to children who are showing developmental delay or who have a condition strongly linked to developmental delay, such as Down Syndrome, Cerebral Palsy or Autism. Jurea Ben, Tymra Butt and Lacey Haas are our new team representatives for Root for Kids at our office Blanding. We couldn’t be more honored to have this opportunity to help the families and expand our reach in Southern Utah. 

Jordane Bromley earns Bachelor of Science in Nursing and oversees Early Head Start pregnant women

Jordane started with us 8 years ago as a home visitor, soon after she moved to the health services as a health services assistant. Just last September, Jordane graduated from Utah Tech University with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing. In her new position, Jordane oversees all Early Head Start pregnant women. Root for Kids is excited to have another RN on board and would like to congratulate Jordane once more on her dedication and accomplishments.

Bloom and Grow completes successful first year

First pregnancies can be a difficult journey on your own. Helping young pregnant mothers has been on the docket here at Root for Kids for a while. We had seen similar programs up in Salt Lake City having success and knew that it was something that needed to be available down here in our ever-growing population. With the help of a grant from our friends at Three Corners Women’s Giving Circle and our Registered Nurses, we were able to start a bi-weekly program. We are happy to be a guiding light for these young parents and are thrilled to see support of the program in our community. If you or anyone you know would like to know more about our Bloom and Grow program, fill out a form here.

Celebrated 20 year partnership with Utah Tech Dental Hygiene Program

In 2022 Root for Kids and Utah Tech University Dental Hygiene Program celebrated 20 years of community partnership. Many families’ lives have been changed by the dental hygiene clinic and the mobile clinic. We see patients from the community who often lack resources to receive proper dental care, so having Utah Tech’s dental staff, students and volunteer dentists onboard is a huge benefit to our families. We are very grateful for Utah Tech Dental Hygiene Program’s continued support.

A successful 7^th Annual Radiothon

The holiday spirit continues to be in full bloom here at Root for Kids! Canyon Media Broadcasting sponsored this year’s annual holiday fundraiser and diaper drive. We couldn’t be any happier with our awesome turnout. Santa, hot chocolate, games, and holiday cheer were on full display. Financial contributions and diapers were donated, helping countless families in the community.

The Secret Garden Gala returns

This was the first year we held our Secret Garden Gala at the Dixie Convention Center’s Garden Room. The location proved to be a perfect for us, where we were able to accommodate a record number of guests over the unforgettable night of glamour and heart. After our awards ceremony, Fred Walker and Tyler Hunsaker, our returning MC’s, ran our live auction with the enthusiastic crowd. Maddie’s Dance Group brought smiles to all our guests faces with their heartfelt performance that closed the night out. Thank you to our presenting sponsor of the evening, Litehouse, Inc. Their continued support has provided financial support to family services in our community. For those interested in attending this year’s Gala, event info can be found here.

2^nd Annual Glow in the Dark Golf Tournament in full swing

We held our Annual Glow in the Dark Golf Tournament at the Coral Canyon Golf Course for the second year! Raffles, food, drinks, and competition aplenty was on display in full neon glow. Guests started the day off playing 9 holes in the sun, followed by a dinner break. After that, the moon was out, and the game turned into a Glow-in-the-Dark competition. It was a fun and hilarious time had by all, where teams learned the true meaning of “taking a shot in the dark.”

The first Cornhole Tournament hits the target

Our friends at TDS and Tru by Hilton approached us about a new fundraiser and event, which became our first Cornhole Tournament. The afternoon was filled with friendly competition between local businesses and beanbag tossing enthusiasts. Coupled with a delicious lunch, our first outing with the Cornhole Tournament was a great success. With that success, we are pleased to announce that our 2^nd Annual Cornhole Tournament will be on March 24th. Teams are sold out, but you can join us as a spectator! Enjoy lunch with us and cheer on your favorite local business! Register here.

Early Head Start goal achieved

One of the most important parts of our Early Head Start grant is an in-kind donation goal. These donations include items donated and volunteer hours worked. Reaching this goal is a major success for us, proving that our presence in the community as a place to volunteer with is having an impact. If you (or a group) would like to volunteer with us. Contact Elizabeth Santana here.

Stephani Watson, 15 years of service

Stephani Watson, Utah School for the Deaf and Blind Audiologist, visits Root for Kids twice a month to provide comprehensive hearing screenings for enrolled children. 15 years ago, Stephani randomly stopped by our office to see how she could help, asking us for a need to fill. Now, 15 years later, she has provided hearing assessments to hundreds of children in our community. She goes above and beyond to see families. Whether it’s after hours, a last-minute notice or a home visit, she makes sure referrals are done. Stephani also provides yearly training to our staff. We are thankful for her 15 years of service with us.

Kallie Stewart receives 30 in their 30s award

Every year, St George Area Chamber of Commerce honors dynamic young professionals who are taking their business or organization in Southern Utah to a new level with the 30 in Their Thirties Award. Last year, our very own Monica Jones received the prestigious award, and this year was a Root for Kids streak with Kallie Stewart being honored. Kallie works tirelessly as our Early Head Start Director, overseeing hundreds of families, pregnant young mothers, and a team of support specialists. We couldn’t be happier with the Chamber’s choice, as Kallie truly is an exceptional individual in our community.

Root for Kids 2^nd Annual Glow-in-the-Dark Golf Tournament was a Hole- in- One! With over 140 players and 120 volunteers, this was our biggest Tournament yet.

Read below how it all came together.

The gorgeous Coral Canyon Golf Course hosted us for the second year in a row. Players began showing up at 1:00 PM for check in and the games began with a shotgun start at 2:30 PM. The golfers played 9 holes of regular daytime golf, before returning for a 5:00 dinner. Coral Canyon provided our players with an amazing barbequed pulled pork dinner. Nothing Bundt Cake for dessert (one of our generous sponsors) treated our players to one of their scrumptious Bundtinis.

Golfing with Glow

After dinner, the golfers lined up and were off to a second shotgun start for their final 9 holes at 6:30 PM. The carts were decorated, players were dressed head-to-toe in glow merch, and the luminosity from the glow course was sublime.  Golf is a difficult sport in the daytime, let alone in the dark. Shenanigans were had, hilarity and humility ensued, as golfers tried their best to hit glowing golf balls at the nighttime targets. Some golfers were witnessed reverting to poolhall rules getting the balls in the hole.

The Winners

The ACE of Kings were our Men’s division winners, with players Ryan Baeza, Mike Vesagas, Marcas Sanders, and Tyson Mendez. Jeff Smith Construction won our Co-ed division, with players Jeff Smith, Cyla McBride, Nihoa Kanohi and Sydnee Sabaitis. Congratulations to our winners!

The Raffle

Raffle winners were announced right after the team winners. Our raffle and prize items this year were simply awesome. A two-night stay at Cliffrose Lodge in Zion Park went to the lucky winner of the “Hit the Glow Target.” Gift baskets, gift certificates, Hybrid Light packages and Zion Wildflower Resort stays were only a few of the gracious raffle items that went home with lucky Tournament participants.

The Sponsors

We can’t finish this recap without thanking our generous sponsors for this year’s Tournament. Zach and Whit Photography were our Gold Sponsor, whom players saw all around the course capturing the excitement throughout the day. We thank all our amazing sponsors who made the 2^nd Annual Root for Kids Glow-in-the-Dark Tournament possible.

The Volunteers

We would like to thank our Volunteers for their hard work setting up and taking down the golf course, and everything in-between. We had over 120 volunteers ranging from Utah Tech’s Women’s Basketball, DSU Nursing students to former employees of Root for Kids and friends from the community. Thank you volunteers, you made the day run smoothly!

Deseret News

March 4, 2022

A recent article in the Deseret News shares a recipe for cultivating strong children with better opportunities for a great future. The recipe includes advice and tips for parents, communities and policy makers to help give children the best possible head start in life.

How Parents and Policies play a role in helping young kids thrive.

Children that live in a loving two parent home that are provided for both physically and mentally have a better chance at an easier life. Kids in these homes are more likely to have adequate shelter, creative outlets, quality family time and unconditional love which increases their odds of having a successful life. 

Cynthia Osborne, a professor of  Early Childhood Education and Policy at Vanderbilt University says that these vital gifts from parents are not enough for kids to thrive. Osborne says society needs to provide gifts also, that include family friendly policies that help children to excel in their environment.  Osborne believes that policies that help families, especially those that are struggling, are both generous and self-serving if one believes that children are a societal gift and they will repay any investments made to them. She goes on to say, “children will shape our country’s economy, entrepreneurial landscape and competitiveness; they will drive the future workforce and policies”.

Working moms and child care subsidies

Every child needs a stable home, health care, food and safety as the foundation for their well-being. According to the Annie E. Casey Foundation children also need other protections, including proven policies to aid families with very young children, especially families with economic and other challenges. These protections will help to ensure a great future for children. 

Osborne knows that getting a child’s early years (prenatal to 3) right, is very important, because it will predict a lifetime of health and well-being. During this very young age children begin to develop their sense of self, they grow confident or fearful depending on their circumstances and they form relationships that will help to shape further relationships in their lives. Every child should have the opportunity to be born healthy and raised in a stable, nurturing and stimulating environment with limited exposure to adversity. 

The article references research which states that in order for babies to be successful from the very onset, their parents need resources and skills to help them nurture their babies. Prenatal care is one resource that helps parents get ready to have healthy babies. Other resources include policies and strategies to help states attain well-child goals.

The 2019 Bureau of Labor Services report indicates 6 out 10 women are working moms with school-age children, these moms are working due to economic necessity.  Researchers are trying to help working moms by advocating for affordable quality health insurance and a liveable wage. Four states have implemented these policies to help families (California, Washington D. C., Maryland and New Jersey) with subsidized child care so kids are safe while their parents are at work or in school. These states offer comprehensive screenings, connections to programs if needed, home visit programs, early head start, early intervention programs and prenatal care. 

The article emphasizes the importance of child care by saying if parents do not have a safe, affordable and quality daycare option, then parents may not be able to work as a means to provide a better life for their children.

Osborne goes on to say, “We’re paying a lot of attention to implementations because just having a policy on the books if no one is using it, if it’s not generous enough, if it’s difficult to access, may not be as effective. You may not be getting the returns that you would be expecting or making the impact on well being.”

Strong Child Development Goals

The number of people that understand the importance of the 0-3 year range is increasing, but currently there is very little guidance to help improve outcomes for this age group, says Osborne. 

The Vanderbilt University Prenatal-to-3 Impact Center is not only focusing on child development but also prioritizing healthy births, access to services, physical and emotional health of parents, a parents ability to work and working on a strong parent-child relationship. 

Osbourne claims that the needs of children cross all income levels but policies usually target the socioeconomic disadvantages of children of color and of those of lower socioeconomic status. Those families are less likely to have a stable income or access to paid time off for things such as family illness or bonding with a very young child. The fact is that higher-income households are more likely to get the help they need while middle class families are stuck between having too much or not enough. 

How States Help Their Families

According to Osbourne, many states have already independently taken steps to help families. Some states are investing substantially in childcare and expanding eligibility for subsidies, which in the long run increases the size of the workforce. Other states have implemented paid family leave for working families and others will raise their minimum wage to $15 an hour. 

Boosting Fertility

The birth rate in America has decreased, many experts believe it’s due to the cost of child care. With the threat of having smaller new generations and economic stagnation, there are child care subsidies which could help. There are many different financial challenges that will make couples either not have children or prolong the occurrence, this is a concern for policymakers because delaying or foregoing having children has significant consequences to society. The 2021 American Family Survey found that 17% of the people surveyed said if they could get child benefits from the government, their willingness in having a child or more children would increase.  

Osborne says, when investing in early intervention programs, children are better prepared to attend school, the rate of child retention in school decreases as does the need for special education funds. Investing in parents’ ability to work will financially increase how a parent is able to provide for their children which decreases the need for government assistance. 

In closing Osbourne says, “What I wish is that policymakers could understand that there are both immediate and long-term benefits to investing in young children and their parents’ in terms of cognitive development, in learning and socioemotional development and physical health. And those benefits last a lifetime.” 

We maintain the best way to cultivate strong, healthy, successful children is through collaboration with parents, communities and policymakers. It is essential that we invest in parents and their children when they are young to ensure optimal growth in our investments. We must share the understanding that an early investment in children and their families is an investment in them but also an investment in ourselves, our communities, our economy and our country.

Our Kindermusik classes are the perfect way to introduce music and movement to the young and developing minds. Child and caregiver have the opportunity to bond and connect through rhythm in easy and fun ways, led by the Kindermusik teachers. See what families have to say about Kindermusik at Root for Kids!

WE LOVE KINDERMUSIK!

“Our littles had a rough start in life and both exhibited developmental issues. They started Kindermusik at 2 and 3 years old and it has been a godsend.  The program is fantastic and there are not enough good words to describe the amazing teachers. Kindermusik is so much fun, the girls can’t wait for “music class” every week.  While they are playing and enjoying themselves, we have seen them gain personal and interactive social skills, as they connect with other children and engaged adults. 

We have seen huge improvements in impulse control, self regulation and communication skills.  The girls have learned songs, stories, dances and how to use dozens of different instruments and props.  They are learning the basic concepts of music using all of their senses, all while loving the music and the movement.  A little more than a year in Kindermusik and they have a never ending supply of songs to sing in the car!  Kindermusik has been a strong foundation for development in so many areas.  We look forward to our girls continuing to love Kindermusik for years to come.”

– L. Richards

She loves exploring music

“Kindermusik has been so wonderful for Ruthie! She has done two semesters of the fundamentals class so far and loves exploring music with friends. I love that it helps her develop fantastic routines as well as improve social and motor skills and sensory acceptance. She absolutely loves teachers Madison and Marnie!” – Jordan P.

I love everything about the program

“My daughter has now taken 2 semesters of Kindermusik. I love everything about the program, and how much it has helped her. We have struggled a lot in navigating her social and emotional development, which affects almost every aspect of her being able to interact with others and cope with an environment outside of the home. Kindermusik has provided her the opportunity to engage with other kids her age, as well as adults in a classroom type setting, without the pressure to perform or be away from Mom.

It has been a slow process, but she is now excited to “go sing” and it doesn’t take her nearly as long to warm up to her environment and participate. She now follows instruction and transitions from one activity to the next, whereas she wouldn’t previously participate in any sort of structure-based learning. She will interact with others, and doesn’t feel the need to be glued to my side for the entirety of the class. It may not sound like a big achievement for most, but I was overjoyed the first day she sat in my lap to engage in story time or willingly put her shoes on after class.

She loves the music more than anything