It’s not too late...

HURON COUNTY – According to information presented to the Board of Commissioners last week, in 2007 one in five babies in the county were born to mothers who smoked, while 13 percent of mothers received less than adequate prenatal care. That data also showed that one in nine babies in Huron County were born to mothers without a high school diploma and one in 14 were born to teen mothers.

According to the report “The Status of Young Children in Huron County,” the reality is that babies born to mothers who smoke or don’t receive adequate prenatal care are born too early, have a lower birth rate and have a higher risk of developmental delays, chronic health problems and even death. Children born to a teen mother or one who didn’t graduate high school have the highest risk for growing up in poverty and are more likely to need special education, repeat a grade or fail school.

That is why the work being done by the Great Start Collaborative (GSC) in Huron County is so important.

According to their website, www.greatstarthuron. com, the Huron Intermediate School District (HISD) was awarded funding in the fall of 2008 from the Early Childhood Investment Corporation (ECIC) to create the Huron County Great Start Collaborative (GSC). “Our vision is to ensure that every child arrives at kindergarten safe, healthy, prepared for learning and eager to succeed in school and in life,” GSC director Becky Gettel told the commissioners last week.

The GSC is currently in the second phase of its implementation, the planning phase, which is expected to be completed in March 2010. During this phase, the GSC is seeking to involve all sectors of the community in conducting a comprehensive Local Early Childhood System Assessment with the results being used to develop a three-year Great Start Strategic Plan and a one-year Early Childhood Action Agenda.

“We don’t want your money, we want your input,” Gettel told the board. “We want broad based, community input as we continue our development plan.”

Gettel discussed the need for such a plan in her presentation, when she explained that in 2008, 30 percent of incoming kindergarteners lacked the “basic skills coming in.” Those basic skills included knowing all of their letters and their numbers up to 10.

According to the GSC’s report, “Ninety percent of a child’s language, social behavior, problem solving ability and emotional health will be mostly created...or not...by the time he or she enters kindergarten.”

“A lack of preparedness in school impacts the individual child,” Gettel said.

“Research has proven that kids who start school behind often stay behind, which can influence their education throughout elementary, middle and high school, affects their ability to get into college, get a good job and earn a decent wage,” she added.

And that not only impacts the individual, but society as well. “We know that a lack of preparedness for kindergarten influences the economy,” explained Gettel.

“Studies suggest that for every $1 spent in the early years, there is a 7 to 17 dollar return through increased earning capacity/income taxes paid, increased job productivity, increased graduation and marriage rates, reduced special education expenses, reduced teen pregnancy rate, reduced crime and reduced poverty.”

Great Start Parent Liaison Melissa Stirrett also addressed the board and explained to them about the actual processes the brain goes through during early development. “As a result of new information, (we have learned) the baby’s brain grows by creating more connections to make sense of information…(and) many new connections have been made by only three months of age,” she explained. “Each new connection leads to more connections, helping the baby become more and more capable.

“By 24 months of age, the number of connections has increased tremendously. At this age the brain’s potential for growth and development is the highest,” Stirrett added.

But according to Stirrett, the brain is not just developing in the formative years, it is adapting. “By age six, the connectors begin to decrease. Those that are not used or stimulated are pruned in order to make the brain more efficient. Therefore it is more difficult to learn new things as there are fewer connectors available and fewer connections can be made.”

After hearing the GSC’s presentation, commissioner John Horny, a father of 12, added his thoughts on the importance of getting children off to the right start in life. “The first six months in life determine how a child will interact with the word…how they will bond with humanity,” he said.

“As a parent, I didn’t know these things (we talked about today),” added Horny. “(But) every parent should know (this).”

Gettel agreed. “It is much easier and cheaper to raise a child, than it is to fix an adult.”

For a schedule of events or to become involved in the GSC, call the Great Start office at (989) 269-3485 or e-mail greatstarthuron@hisd.k1 2.mi.us.