PALATKA, Fla., November 30, 2020 – The Early Learning Coalition of North Florida’s (ELC) outreach and volunteer team led an ocean-themed literacy program at Palatka’s Children’s World preschool on Wednesday, November 18, 2020.
Their World of the Ocean literacy program introduces children to sea life while helping them improve vocabulary and engaging their imagination. Preschoolers learn facts about dozens of ocean creatures and find out what life is like living in a coral reef. The program begins with an interactive story followed by an age-appropriate activity. Story time shark ELC volunteer Jane Hafner helped children make their own ocean in a bottle, paint sea shell creatures and make colorful sand necklaces. At the event’s conclusion, each child received a free book about life in the ocean and the school received a resource bag of items to further teach the theme again in the future.
This is one of several varieties of ongoing themed literacy programs that ELC leads in local preschools in the counties of Baker, Bradford, Clay, Nassau Putnam and St. Johns counties.
“Promoting early literacy is a priority mission for us at the Early Learning Coalition,” said ELC’s Literacy Outreach Manager Joan Whitson. “Getting children excited about books and making sure that all children have them can make all the difference in their success in school all during their lives.”
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Photo Caption: Early Learning Coalition volunteers Jane Hafner and Carol White read the book “Mr. Seahorse” by Eric Carle to children at Children’s World in Palatka, Fla., Wednesday November 18, 2020.
The Early Learning Coalition of North Florida is the leading voice in six counties for child care and parents with children from birth through 5 years. ELC works with many other local agencies to ensure that all families have access to quality, affordable child care. Their mission is achieved by leading projects that increase the quality and availability of child care professionals, and advocate child care policies that positively impact the lives of children and families. To learn more about the Early Learning Coalition of North Florida and how to assist in ensuring quality child care for all families, or to learn how to be a literacy volunteer, please visit us at www.elcnorthflorida.org.
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Sponsorship by the State of Florida, Division of Early Learning.