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First Things First outlines local early‑childhood grants, invites council to June 8 event
Summary
Representatives from First Things First told the Lake Havasu City Council on May 28 that the state-funded early‑childhood agency provides local grants and professional development for programs serving children birth through age 5 and invited council members to a June 8 conference recognizing CDA recipients.
On May 28, 2019, representatives of First Things First addressed the Lake Havasu City Council to describe state-funded early‑childhood programs serving children from birth to kindergarten and to invite council members to a June 8 recognition event.
The presentation, delivered by Erin Taylor, community outreach coordinator for the La Paz–Mojave region, explained that First Things First provides funding to local programs that focus on health, early learning and family support. "We provide funding to programs that serve little ones ages birth to 5," Taylor said during remarks to the council.
Taylor said several grants awarded in the last fiscal year went to Lake Havasu City businesses, including six local childcare centers that participate in the agency’s Quality First program. The program offers financial incentives to centers and preschools that are actively working to improve the quality of care, she said. Scholarships for families and professional development support for early‑childhood workers were also highlighted.
Taylor described a professional development pathway that leads to the Child Development Associate (CDA) credential, noting the requirement of 120 hours of coursework, testing and assessment. She said more than a dozen local early‑childhood professionals earn the CDA each year, including high‑school students participating through their district’s career and technical education program. Recipients are honored at an annual early‑childhood conference; Taylor invited the mayor and council to the event scheduled for Saturday, June 8, at the Lake Havasu aquatic center. Mayor Cal Sheehy was noted as planning to attend.
Taylor also asked council members to help residents find services: she told the council the agency is funded from the state’s tobacco‑tax fund and that city officials who receive inquiries about early‑childhood resources can direct people to the website or search "First Things First."
