Newsletter September 2017

When I moved to Aurora three years ago with a 16-month-old daughter, I was excited to discover all the incredible resources for young children in the area. We quickly filled our days at the playground, the zoo, the nature center, the children’s museum and all the story times at the library. It seemed that everywhere we went, we learned about another event or fair and we were always getting free books!

The more involved I got in my neighborhood, the more I learned startling statistics about how children were not being prepared for school that resulted in low test scores and low graduation rates. As many as half of all children under five in Aurora face risk factors with their parents that would make them less prepared for school. I started to ask myself how could this be possible in a community so rich in activities and opportunities for young people? Why aren’t all the kids in my neighborhood accessing the fabulous programs I’m taking my kids to? What can I do to change this?

I became involved in the SPARK parent council because there I am able to start answering these questions. I love learning from the diverse group of moms and learning about the challenges facing our children. I love to brainstorm new ways to reach parents in our community to educate them about different programs and possibilities. Most of all, I have loved making new friends with other moms who refuse to accept these dire statistics as the reality for our children. The other moms on  the council have been an encouragement to me and remind me that we, as parents, are our child’s first and best teacher. I always leave council meetings empowered with new ideas to teach my children better at home.

I now have three pre-school aged kids. I know that they will be ready for kindergarten, but I can’t stop there. My dream is to see every child in their kindergarten classes as ready to learn as they are. I want every child in Aurora to experience the abundance of opportunities that this amazing community has to offer. I know that SPARK, by connecting parents to resources and programs, is making this possible. I am proud to serve on the parent council with SPARK and watch my dream become a reality.

                                                                         – Diana SPARK Parent Council member