A Childhood of Challenge

A Childhood of Challenge

By Greg Davis
United Way of Blount County Volunteer

One child eagerly works to count a number of colored beads and fill a bin with them, while another compares a toy animal to a couple of pictures to pick the one that matches the toy. To close your eyes and listen, it sounds like any other classroom for young children. The air is filled with singing, questions and play.

But this classroom is quite different from others.

The children in this classroom are all faced with the difficult prospect of learning when faced with developmental challenges.

A case in point can be found in young Courtney. Courtney suffers with cerebral palsy, a condition resulting from damage to the brain before, during, or shortly after birth and outwardly manifested by muscular incoordination and speech disturbances.

When she first enrolled in Birth to Three, Courtney had a limited vocabulary and could not sit upright unaided. Since becoming a student here, her vocabulary has increased to well over 100 words, and she can sit unaided for short periods.

Moreover, Courtney has made friends with the other children enrolled here. She laughs and plays with them, participating in group learning with songs, toys and flash cards, as well as spending time individually with the teachers, working on her motor skills, reading or abstract relationships.

With plenty of individual attention, the Birth to Three Program focuses intently on each child and gives them opportunities to learn that they might not get at home. Most families do not have the same time or experience to give these children the kinds of specialized tutoring they require.

And it pays off. Courtney’s mother, Christy, said that young Courtney enjoys playing the same learning games with her sisters Ashely (her twin) and her older sister Alexis at home. The girls enjoy it so that they ask to go to school with Courtney to participate in her education.

The Birth to Three Program is one example of how the Power of U is making great strides to help others through United Way.