Children’s Creative Learning Center gives back to the troops

Friday, December 25, 2009

By April Scarlett, Special Writer

The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan may seem a world away, but American troops deployed there represent small towns and cities in every state across the country, and Saline is no exception.

With the holidays upon us, the distance between Saline families and their military relatives feels wider than ever. That is why one local childcare center and preschool is doing all they can to ensure soldiers are taken care of this holiday season.

When the staff of Children's Creative Learning Center, formerly Saline Early Childhood Center, realized two of their childcare families had members serving overseas, they jumped at the chance to give back and show their appreciation to the troops. Glenna Ford, preschool coordinator at the center, spearheaded the effort to get the collection started when she heard three of her students were directly affected.

Carlito and Diego Saylon, both children at the center, miss their big brother, Sgt. Keoki Saylon, who is serving in Afghanistan. Keira Buchanan, who also attends the center, is excited to help her uncle, Staff Sgt. Wesley Nevins, serving in Iraq.

Jiemin Jacobson, who bought the preschool in 2008, loved the idea.

"In this holiday season, everybody wish(es) to be home with family and to be cozy in front of (the) fireplace," Jacobson said. "We should think of them and appreciate their service."

In line with the center's creative curriculum, the children, both in the baby house and preschool buildings, decorated holiday cards to send with eight boxes of much-needed supplies to the troops. Families donated personal care items, food, entertainment items such as newspapers and playing cards, and miscellaneous items such as batteries, Ziploc bags and hand warmers.

"We are so thankful for the families," Jacobson said. "During this economic state, they still gave."

The article below was published in the Saline Reporter on February 18, 2010. 

 Preschool offers second language

Lifelong benefits of learning a second language young

By April Scarlett

Enough research has been done over a long enough period of time to show there is absolutely a significant life-long benefit for children who learn a second, or even third language at a very young age. Universities like Oxford, Cornell, and Cambridge have done intensive studies and their conclusions are all in alignment.  Bilingual children experience greater academic success, self-confidence and cultural sensitivity that continues throughout their lives.

According to the Language League, there are the “5 C’s” of early language learning.  They are: Capture the critical period, Craft cognitive skills, Cultivate self-confidence, Celebrate cultural understanding, and Create a world of possibility.

Jiemin Jacobson,  owner of Saline’s Children’s Creative Learning Center, believes so much in the importance of a second language at an early age, she has decided to make learning Chinese part of their everyday curriculum, with no additional tuition. “ We added this unique element into our curriculum without putting any extra financial burden to our families.”  Jacobson suggests her preschoolers already benefit from a strong literacy foundation so the addition of a second language will contribute to academic success in the future.  Studies indicate children who are bilingually fluent do better on SAT, ACT and other college assessment tests.

Research shows the ideal time to learn a second language is from birth to about age 10 or 12.  A child’s brain is still developing language skills at a young age and will literally create “more room” to support the second language as it develops.  Learning a second language after this developmental phase is still possible, but new “space” has to be created to house the new skills.  It’s like realizing you need to add on an addition to your house while still in the building phase, instead of after construction is complete.  This idea refutes the common misunderstanding that a second language is confusing to children who are learning it, before their home language is mastered.  Young brains have the ability to compartmentalize as needed during development, storing the two languages equally.

A study conducted at the Cornell Language Acquisition Lab (CLAL), concluded children who learn a second language can maintain attention despite outside stimuli better than children who know only one language.  This is the skill needed for a person to be able to achieve goals in the presence of distraction, which is important throughout many aspects of academic success.

Parents are increasingly realizing the benefit their children can reap from the exposure to other languages and cultures. “We’ve added the second language classes to our summer program  for school age children too,” Jacobson said,  the need is great and the time is now while they are still young.”

Combine all of the research and reports and the outcome is similar. Any newly acquired skill ,like the mastery of a second language, will bring about a feeling of self-confidence and pride, especially if a child has mastered a skill his parent does not have.  This adds to the spirit of independence and even empowerment.  Socially, a child fluent in another language allows children to be more open and understanding to other cultures and academically, will ensure a competitive edge in the global marketplace of his or her future.