A recent state report shows that, based on entry assessments, fewer than 60 percent of Pinellas County children are adequately prepared to begin kindergarten. The local nonprofit Thrive By Five Pinellas is committed to changing that statistic: “We don’t think that’s acceptable, and you shouldn’t, either.”
Building a Strong Foundation
Numerous studies demonstrate that the years between birth and age 5 are the most critical time for brain development, as well as a crucial time span for building the foundation for skilled thinking, behaving, and emotional well-being. Building that foundation requires a strong early-childhood system that helps to ensure that children are “ready to thrive in school — cognitively, physically, socially, and emotionally — by the time they reach kindergarten.” Thrive By Five Pinellas is focused on “creating, connecting and supporting community resources for healthy development and kindergarten readiness for children under age 5.” By 2026, they hope to lift the “ready” number from 60 percent to 90 percent. A strong foundation can reduce future challenges and open greater opportunities for successful lives, especially for children in low-income and underserved communities. Dr. Bilan Joseph, director of Thrive By Five Pinellas, explains that it also makes “dollars and sense” to help prepare children for a better future because their success levels affect the entire community.
Collective Impact
Founded in 2017, Thrive by Five Pinellas uses that collective impact approach to bring together a diverse set of community partners dedicated to a common vision: “ensure an equitable, accessible, responsive and accountable early childhood system that will increase the percentage of children in our community ‘ready’ for kindergarten.” Last year, the organization added a strong “backbone” to this mission by joining the Community Foundation Tampa Bay (CFTB). Founded in 1990, the CFTB “connects donors, nonprofits, community and business leaders, professional advisers, volunteers and residents to make the maximum positive impact in the Tampa Bay region.” As president and CEO of the CFTB Marlene Spalten explains, “Healthy childhood development can contribute to positive progress in our community’s vibrancy, economic mobility and mental well-being.” For example, Thrive By Five Pinellas’ mission to get more children “ready” for kindergarten dovetails perfectly with the foundation’s LEAP Tampa Bay College Access Network’s mission to increase opportunities for higher education and high-quality certifications. Thrive By Five Pinellas’ focus on building a strong foundation can help pre-empt future challenges for hopeful college students, but this foundation also clearly contributes to CFPB’s overall mission to cultivate “a better, more vibrant community.”
“Every Child is Everyone’s Child”
Joseph sums up this sentiment beautifully: “Every child is everyone’s child.” As community members, there are innumerable ways to help our kids achieve greatness. Visit www.tb5p.org to find more information about volunteering or making a tax-deductible donation. If you can’t donate time or money directly, there are many other ways to help. For example, we can amplify the voices of lowwage child care teachers; contact elected officials to share support of family-friendly legislation that is equitable, accountable, and responsive; and support public libraries, especially their reading programs. We also can help get the word out by liking and sharing Thrive By Five Pinellas on Facebook.
