Pre-K 4 SA a lifeline for kids, families
Growing up on the city’s West Side, I recall serving as an interpreter for my Spanishspeaking parents. That experience taught me to both appreciate bilingualism and value the opportunities of early education my parents provided me. As a mother of three children, I never wanted to take those educational opportunities for granted.
When my oldest son was of the appropriate age, I began to seek schools that would best fit our family’s needs. After much research, I discovered my family did not qualify for our neighborhood preschool, nor could we afford private school programs. Fortunately, I found the perfect fit at Pre-K 4 SA, and my son thrived there. All three of my children thrived there — growing in independence, confidence, math skills and vocabulary.
I grew alongside them, too, as a mother and a community activist. Pre-K 4 SA gave me the resources and a safe space to invest in myself and gave me the confidence to begin a Family Fit program — first at the West Education Center, then eventually at all four centers. Alongside the school’s Parents as Partners program, we built a safe and fun place for families to exercise and build community relationships. It was a pillar of strength and support for my family then — and it still is.
More than ever, parents are looking to programs like Pre-K 4 SA to find that same sense of support as they juggle the “new normal” of work and school from home. Given the current uncertainty, families are charging forward as best they can, but one thing remains constant: Early education programs like Pre-K 4 SA are key to leveling the playing field for all kids in San Antonio.
Pre-K 4 SA meets families where they are, providing access and resources that serve children, parents and the community. The program’s model is proven, and the impact on our community over the past eight years is undeniable. To halt this progress now — when families need more support than ever — would be detrimental for our kids
Especially during these trying times, Pre-K 4 SA serves as a lifeline for San Antonio’s parents and families. I’ve seen the research that shows 90 percent of the brain develops before age 5. But when I saw it firsthand in my children, it cemented the idea that Pre-K 4 SA is critical to a child’s success in school and life.
As parents, we want only the best for our kids. Pre-K 4 SA wholeheartedly shares that same desire and delivers a program that develops engaged, independent kids who are kindergartenready. With our continued endorsement of the program, Pre-K 4 SA can serve even more kids and families, allowing peace of mind for parents while they are earning a living or away serving our country.
Pre-K 4 SA is ready to continue what it’s been doing all along: stepping up to give parents a sense of security and assurance that all kids who want or need access to high-quality prekindergarten would have it. Now is not the time to pause this effort, nor is it the time to give up on our community’s cornerstone of early education.
If Pre-K 4 SA didn’t exist, my three children would have stayed home with me and missed out on an incredibly strong start to their educational journeys. If Pre-K 4 SA does not get renewed, other kids will miss out on that same start. Let’s keep our commitment to getting kids school- and workforce-ready. Our kids are depending on us to make the right choice. Let’s renew Pre-K 4 SA on Nov. 3 for a stronger future for San Antonio.