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Region Stories

These stories illustrate how early childhood programs and services funded by First Things First make a difference for young children and families in communities across Arizona.

Quality First program helps Parker siblings take center stage with learning

  • school readiness

​Amanda Lucas remembers that shortly after enrolling her 2 ½-year-old daughter Layla at the SonShine Center in Parker, the toddler was ready to take center…

Home visits help Cocopah toddler communicate better with family

  • home visitation

​​​​​During a local health fair, a mother of a 2-year-old boy approached the Cocopah Early Steps program table. The mom shared that she and her…
family photo

Parent education program helps Fredonia girl become a problem solver

  • family support

Danielle Smith and her husband wanted to ensure they had the parenting skills needed to form positive relationships with their two daughters and get them ready…

Kindergarten Boot Camp encourages excitement for learning in Phoenix boy

  • school readiness

When Erica Sarmiento learned about Kindergarten Bootcamp, a Phoenix Public Library program funded by First Things First, she put it on the top of her…

Quality First preschool helps Tucson boy transition to kindergarten

  • Quality First

Anita Meek had a decision to make.Her son Levi was turning five in September, but he would miss the cut-off day for kindergarten by ten days. She weighed…
Siblings with mom in park

Quality First preschool prepares Yuma siblings for kindergarten success

  • Quality First

As a divorced single mother of 2-year-old twin boys and a 9-month-old daughter, Laura Elena Torres of Yuma struggled to make rent, food and other monthly…

Healthy and ready for school

  • health & nutrition

A child’s most important developmental years are those leading up to kindergarten. Good nutrition is vital to healthy development in young children, and poor…
boy-in-chair

Phoenix boy gets strong foundation from home visitation program

  • family support

After Porsche Brown gave birth to her first child, Zaire, she remembered taking him home and being extremely nervous about being a first-time parent. Even the…

Pascua Yaqui Tribe library literacy workshops enhance skills and tribal way of life

  • Pascua Yaqui Tribe

​​Amalia A.M. Reyes always knows when the literacy workshops for parents are working. Reyes, who supervises the Dr. Fernando Escalante Community Library…

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