Early Learning receives $20,000 grant
New Prague Area Schools (NPAS) Early Learning received a $20,000 grant earlier this year from the Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation (SMIF), which will be used for several early learning initiatives. SMIF announced on April 27 that Early Learning will receive the grant.
This grant allows NPAS Early Learning to distribute kits to their kindergarten, preschool and birth-toddler age children this summer. These kits will include fun, game-like tools and activities with simple instructions that can be used to sharpen skills, set students up for early learning success and also provide support and encouragement to families. Throughout the summer, Early Learning plans to distribute approximately 730 engaging and developmentally appropriate kits to children in the community.
Early Learning will also use these granted funds to continue and grow their popular monthly Outdoor Story Walks that were done around the area this past year. The Outdoor Story Walks were stories for young readers that were placed at area schools, businesses and other facilities. Hundreds of children and their families read and participated in story related activities. Early Learning’s Outdoor Story Walks benefited many, many families in the community over the past year and Early Learning is grateful SMIF has partnered with them so that they can continue to offer families the opportunity to be outdoors reading, exploring and moving together.
Early Learning will also use the funds to re-introduce their...
To see more on this story pick up the June 10, 2021 print edition of The New Prague Times.