CHILDREN CELEBRATE SMART START

September 1, 2004

SEPTEMBER 1, 2004 By Florence Rankin
TIFTON - Local children added their artwork to a growing collection from across Georgia Monday as part of the statewide Link to Learning celebration.

The children, students at local day care facilities, decorated cutout paper dolls which were used to decorate the Tift County Courthouse entrance. They were entertained by guitarist Laura Edwards as they waited for ceremonies to begin.

"This is a visual representation showing the children that have been affected and their lives enhanced by the Smart Start Georgia program," said Economy Jackson, project manager for Smart Start Georgia. "We want to draw attention to the importance of quality early childhood education."

The cutouts from around the state will be taken to Atlanta to be displayed at the Capitol during the next legislative session, Jackson said.

"Every child in Tift County should have the right to receive high-quality, affordable child care. Smart Start Georgia plays a critical role in making this possible," said Carol Johnson, executive director of the United Way of South Central Georgia. "Link to Learning visually shows residents and community leaders alike just how many children are impacted by Smart Start Georgia in our community."

Formerly known as the Georgia Early Learning Initiative, Smart Start Georgia encourages improvement in early child care through scholarships, incentives, training, technical assistance and tiered reimbursement for providers. The organization is a partnership between the state of Georgia, the Joseph B. Whitehead Foundation, United Ways of Georgia, the Georgia Chamber of Commerce and more than 40 other groups.

To contact city editor Florence Rankin, call 382-4321, ext. 209. 

â?? This article posted with permission from The Tifton Gazette.