Eufaula HIPPY

It has been said that the path to a high school diploma begins before a child enters the first grade.

This is the first year for Eufaula HIPPY.  There are 24 families enrolled at present and Hoover-Smith says they should have up to 40 families in the new school year.

What is unique about HIPPY is that parents are taught to teach their own children.  Parent educators visit homes weekly to deliver materials and to go over the week’s lessons with parents of the children enrolled.  Materials and curriculum were developed by early childhood education professionals.

HIPPY students learn essential school readiness skills such as listening, following directions, speaking in sentences, enjoying books, sorting objects and identifying shapes, knowing the alphabet and understanding that letters have sounds.

While our first priority is the child, there is no doubt that in many cases, parents get tremendous benefit from the program themselves.  “For example, half of the families participating this year are Hispanic and HIPPY is helping them to learn English as a second language.”

“Since the program works primarily with parents in educationally and economically challenging environments, we’re often working with those who may have had negative school experiences or who have serious doubt about their ability to teach their children,” says Hoover-Smith.  “And it is especially heart-warming to see parents grow in self-confidence and self-esteem as they work with their children.”

There is no cost to participate in the HIPPY program.  For more information, contact: Mary Hoover-Smith, 687-1100, Extension 152.