Students encourage lifelong learning

FORT BENNING, Ga., (May 13, 2015) -- Marie Hand's fifth-grade gifted education class at E. A. White Elementary School believes that more than just educators should play a part in the learning process - parents, and their decisions to read to and stimulate their children at an early age, should be a factor as well.

Hand's class has spent the past year working on World Class Parents Make World Class Leaders, an initiative that gives parents tips on how to instill the love of learning in their kids early on.

"The project got started because we are a robotics team for the First Lego League and the topic this year ... was how can you improve world class learning," said Collin Cheney, a fifth-grader in Hand's class. "Our answer to that question was to read to your child at an early age. Even in the womb, just sit down and read a story."

"Because that's when they develop their hearing " said Jocelyn Martinez, student. "Babies can hear what's happening and it's important to let them hear stories as early as possible. This is a program to help the parents help their children to be the best learners they can be."

The students began their project by doing surveys, talking to the parents of students at White and compiling their results. They discovered kids at White are good learners because they have a background of knowledge, Hand said.

"The surveys showed for kids to be ready for school and to learn well, they usually had a background of parent support," Hand said.

"It is up to the kids to learn, but it is up to the parents to teach them from an early age, before they enter school, how to love to learn," said Elizabeth Gunnison, student. "Reading is a big way to learn a lot of things, like geography, social skills, math and other stuff."

"If kids aren't ready to learn, if they can't soak up knowledge efficiently, then you cant expect them to do that well in life," said Kylee Hermeling, student. "You also can't just wait for kids to reach school age and then shove all their learning on their teacher. A teacher can't always one-on-one tutor your child and they need parent's attention."

The students have produced materials to outline some of the ways parents can help their kids at earlier ages, and hope to distribute their work by the end of the school year. While they want to improve the lives of children all over the world, their target audience is young or first-time parents, said Isabella Vaccaro, student.

"We want to help children now, and in the future. There is a chance we can help people so they can have good futures, with a good job," she said. "These tips will help most of the people who implement them, and we hope parents will pay attention to them."

The students also discussed the importance of lifelong learning.

"If you learn all throughout your life, there is never a point where you will stop learning," said Maddox Fenell, student. "My mom is 49 and she got her degree last year, and she was still a great parent. She used to read to me every night, but she didn't want me to just be book smart; she took me outside and gave me social experiences, which are important to be well rounded."

"If everyone had the opportunity to learn at a young age, the world would be a lot more sophisticated," said Olivia Andres, student. "There would be new problems, but there would be more people able to solve them. And, parents being involved before school starts would make schools better and teachers better able to focus on knowledge, and not just simple things,"

Hand smiled as she watched each of them discuss why they thought the project was so important.

"This concept isn't necessarily revolutionizing, but for a group of fifth-graders to come up with it on their own and work this hard to make sure others hear, is pretty remarkable," she said. "If they could influence just one parent somewhere by reading this, and in turn help just one kid become a world-class citizen, they've made a difference. And, that's good enough for me."