United Way: Preparing children for learning – before they start school
-
- A volunteer helps a child with learning activities at a United Way Community Center.
-
- A grandparent reading to grandkids helps children develop literacy skills.
-
- A volunteer helps a child through United Way’s Summer Learning program.
-
- Bill Hulterstrom, president and CEO of United Way of Utah County
Courtesy of United Way of Utah County
A volunteer helps a child with learning activities at a United Way Community Center.
As summer begins, there’s a natural pause that settles in for families. Backpacks are emptied, schedules are loosened and we find ourselves reflecting on the past school year. It’s a time to celebrate — our children have learned, grown and accomplished so much.
But alongside that celebration, there’s also an important reality we can’t ignore. According to research from our recent community assessment, many children in our community have spent the school year struggling to learn and trying to catch up to their peers.
These learning gaps affect all of our students as classrooms try to meet the needs of different learning levels. We as community members can all do something to lessen that gap, and it is most effective when we start as early as possible in a child’s life.
In the coming weeks, United Way will be releasing a report that shows us a growing gap in kindergarten readiness — a signal that too many of our children are starting school without the preparation they need to succeed.
This isn’t about pointing fingers. It’s about recognizing an opportunity. Because readiness for school doesn’t begin on the first day of kindergarten. It starts much earlier — in homes, in neighborhoods, in everyday moments between children and the adults who care about them. It’s built through simple things: talking, reading, playing, asking questions and creating a sense of safety and belonging.
Courtesy of United Way of Utah County
A grandparent reading to grandkids helps children develop literacy skills.
The good news is this: every adult can make a difference. When you make a difference in a child’s life, you make a difference in an entire classroom and in the community.
Parents, grandparents, neighbors and community members all play a role in helping children build the confidence and skills they need to succeed. Summer, with its slower pace, gives us a unique window to lean into those moments. A conversation at the dinner table, a trip to the library, time spent exploring the outdoors — these are not small things. They are the building blocks of readiness.
In the months ahead, we’ll talk more about what each of us can do. Because this challenge is shared — and so is the solution.
For now, as we enjoy the sunshine and the break from routine, let’s remember: preparing our children for success isn’t confined to a classroom. It happens every day in ways both simple and powerful.
And it starts with us.
Courtesy United Way of Utah County
A volunteer helps a child through United Way's Summer Learning program.
To learn more about how you can get involved, please visit unitedwayuc.org.
Bill Hulterstrom, president and CEO of United Way of Utah County
