They were taken with little feet, but the small steps of 19 graduates of the Child, Youth and Schools Services pre-Kindergarten (pre-K) were large leaps toward higher education and a better life.
On May 18, at the Fort McPherson Post Theater, the graduates completed their journey, which began in August 2009, of the course that would prepare them for their educational future.
"It's been an exciting year. I'm excited for the kids," said Laura Stephenson, pre-K teacher. "They're completely different little people now."
Stephenson wasn't the only one to see such growth. Many parents stressed the changes they have seen in their children over the past ten months.
Spc. April Ward, supply specialist for the Third Army/U.S. Army Central Special Troops Battalion S-4, said her son, Tyree, 5, before he started the course couldn't even hold a pencil.
"He burst into tears when he had to write his name," she said. "Now, he can write it. He can count further, recognize more words, and solve problems without tattle tailing."
Tyree bragged he can count to 100, and said he is "ready for kindergarten and more numbers."
Aniyah Daughtry, 5, daughter of Tayona Daughtry, a licensed practical nurse at the Lawrence Joel Army Health Clinic, said she isn't scared to go to kindergarten based on what she learned.
"I've been practicing reading," Aniyah said. "Mrs. S. (Stephenson) taught us how to read 'Zack the Rat.'"
Additionally, Aniyah said she learned her ABCs, numbers and a lot about art from school. Of all the things Aniyah learned, however, Tayona said the most valuable was her love of learning.
"You can see she wants to learn more. She's enthusiastic about doing homework and is always telling me about the things she learned in school," Toyana said.
What children learned and how far they took that learning varied from child to child, Stephenson said.
"We meet the needs of each child. We meet them where they are and push them as far as they can go," she said.
While varied, each child was guaranteed to finish pre-K with a foundation to make them excel in kindergarten.
Although the goal was to prepare the children for kindergarten, much of the class was already doing kindergarten level work, Stephenson said. "We have several readers and writers," she said.
Growth wasn't just limited to academics -it also included socialization skills and learning how to get along with others in a setting away from parents. Aniyah and her classmate, Maya Lane, 5, said they both made lots of friends in the class and are ready to make new ones.
"I'm excited to go to a new school," Maya said. Maya's mother, Jeanine Lane, an audiologist with Atlanta public schools, thought the change might be tough on Maya, who will be attending St. John's Catholic School next year, stating she's been enrolled in Child Development Center programs since she was 1 year old.
"It will be a sad day to see her leave. I'm probably going to cry," she said. Maya said she isn't going to cry, but any strength Jeanine gets won't be from a lack of Maya's tears.
Rather, it will be from what she's accomplished. In her time, she has learned her ABCs, how to write her first and last name, and is counting to 50, her mother said. Overall, Stephenson said the year "has been most rewarding and fulfilling."
"I was blessed with a support staff and a dynamic team," she said, also noting the student's Families were also very supportive.
Sadly, Stephenson may not be back to experience it next year, as her third child is due in August.
Still, for her work with their children, parents are grateful for all Stephenson and her staff have done. "She did an awesome job," said Handan Price, spouse of Air Force Maj. Lee Price, chief of battlefield weather operations for G-2, U.S. Army Forces Command. Handan said her daughter, Nermin, 5, is ready to read and write. "My husband and I didn't do it.
The teachers did that," Handan said.
"She cried the first day (of school) but now she doesn't. So I know she was in good hands with good people." "If there's an award, they should be given it," she said. "They did good things for the little ones."
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