KENT COUNTY, Mich. — It can be tough getting your children to sit down and read in this digital age, but a new county-wide initiative is aiming to work with millennial parents to use their technology to help their children grow and learn.
“Every parent wants what is best for their children, and every parent is willing to do what it takes to support their babies’ brain development,” said Paula Brown, director of Great Start Collaborative of Kent County (GSC). “They just don’t always know exactly what matters most. Now, for this generation of digitally savvy parents, we have evidence-based, expert-tested, crystal-clear parenting wisdom, ready for viewing on their smartphones. It’s like an entire course in quality parenting, delivered in five affirming, entertaining, and millennial-friendly multicultural videos they can watch whenever, wherever.”
Great Start Collaborative of Kent County offers parents videos that they can use to maintain and advance their student’s reading skills while they are on break from school.
In 2017 only 48.6 percent of students in Kent County achieve proficiency in third grade English Language Arts according to the Michigan Student Test of Educational Progress. This network was created to raise that percentage by offering parents success basic tips and tools to help their students learn everyday.
“In Kent County, we are proud to have a culture based on collaboration, teamwork, and helping each other succeed,” said Maureen Hale, GSC chair. “We know three things for sure. One, by making sure every child learns to read, proficiently and on time, we all succeed. Two, all parents are their child’s first and best teacher. And three, for every child in Kent County, success starts earl
