Oh, the Places You’ll go: When Reading is Encouraged, You’ll Grow
Sunbeam Hosts Dr. Seuss Reading Day at Nine Early Childhood Centers Across the Metro
(OKLAHOMA CITY, March 1, 2019) – Today, Sunbeam Family Services celebrated Dr. Seuss’ birthday and the love of reading. More than 10 volunteers from The Oklahoma Proton Center and Friends of Sunbeam, Sunbeam’s auxiliary volunteer group, read to young children, ages birth to five, at Sunbeam’s Early Childhood sites across the metro area.
“The Oklahoma Proton Center was excited to partner with a great community organization like Sunbeam Family Services in cultivating a love of learning amongst young children. It was a privilege for our team to read to so many kids Friday morning and celebrate Dr. Suess’ birthday,” said Jenny Washington, vice president of operations for The Oklahoma Proton Center.
Learning begins long before a child starts kindergarten. Studies show early learning strengthens a child’s verbal and math abilities, prepares them socially to interact with others, teaches them self-regulation skills and supports development to their fullest potential. Children who are not prepared to start school at age five are at risk of never catching up, leaving an achievement gap that can persist until high school. This gap can be linked to social and economic problems later in life, including illiteracy, teen pregnancy, and high-dropout rates.
Sunbeam’s Early Childhood program is a leader in early childhood education. This program prepares children from prenatal to five to enter kindergarten with the skills necessary to be ready for school – and beyond. Sunbeam helps families who might normally have difficulty in accessing high quality early learning and care programs by providing home-based and full-day, full-year center-based services at no cost to the family of the child. Last year, this program served a total of 614 children and more than 2,100 family members and maintained an average monthly enrollment of 74 percent.
For more information, visit sunbeamfamilyservices.org or call 405-609-8994.
About Sunbeam Family Services
About The Oklahoma Proton Center
The Oklahoma Proton Center opened in 2009 as the sixth proton therapy center in the United States. The center has successfully treated thousands of patients from all over the country since opening using state of the art proton therapy technology which allows for the effective treatment of many types of cancer while reducing unnecessary treatment-related side effects. The Oklahoma Proton Center remains one of just approximately thirty proton centers nationwide. The center is dedicated to excellent patient care and advancing proton therapy through innovation and clinical research. For more information, visit www.okcproton.com or call (405) 773-6700.
Angie Doss
Chief External Relations Officer
EARLY CHILDHOOD • FOSTER CARE • COUNSELING • SENIOR SERVICES
[email protected] | sunbeamfamilyservices.org
405.609.2311 (o) |619.347.4057 (c) |405.609.2880 (f) | 1100 NW 14th St | Oklahoma City, OK 73106
Through March 31, join Sunbeam in raising $65,000 to support the Emergency Senior Shelter. Learn more atsunbeamfamilyservices.org/dignity or call 405-609-8994.