ERIE, PA – The YMCA of Greater Erie launched its annual community support campaign We Build People today with a kickoff celebration at the Glenwood Park Y. 

“Earlier this year, the United Way of ErieCounty spelled out our community’s collective call to action – reduce the number of families struggling to meet their basic needs by one-third before 2025 through better access to education, income and health.  The YMCA of Greater Erie is able to be part of this solution by supporting working families with scholarships to afford quality early care, preschool and after school programming; enhancing family educational programs around nutrition, physical activity and healthy habits; and increasing scholarship funds available for membership and community outreach programs,” said YMCA of Greater Erie CEO Gerry Vandemerwe.

YMCA volunteers will be working to raise $191,000 by March 31 -over and above funding received by the United Way, government and foundation grants.  The Y awarded over $860,000 in financial assistance in 2012.  These funds are awarded through an application process based on financial need.

“Our employees have already contributed $20,000 to the campaign and the community – an additional $27,000,” said Vandemerwe.  “We’ve also received a $25,000 challenge grant for any new donations received.”

 Gifts can be made as one-time contributions, given online or pledged over time.

Erie, PA – In preschool, “A” stands for apple – it also stands for apps – as in applications.  And, thanks to a $4500 grant through Pennsylvania’s Pre-K Counts program, the YMCA of Greater Erie’s preschool teachers now have access to 12 IPADS that will enable teachers to supplement and extend classroom learning.

“In small group settings, the IPADS will be used, in conjunction with a teacher, to enhance learning concepts such as reading, writing, spelling, speaking, coloring, matching and sorting,” says Jill Simmons, YMCA of Greater Erie Vice President for Childcare Services. “The aim of Pre-K Counts is to specifically provide high quality preschool for children living in poverty areas and to make preschool – and, now, technology- accessible.  It’s a chance to level the playing field for kids who may not have the same early-learning opportunities that their more affluent peers may take for granted.”

Y Preschool builds on a child’s natural desire to learn things and become more self-reliant. Getting along with other children, sharing, taking turns and working in a group are all natural parts of learning. Y Preschool is also a safe, fun and comfortable place where children build positive relationships with caring adults. Children develop a readiness for kindergarten through a variety of hands-on, child-centered activities.

Like all YMCA programs, financial assistance is available.

For more information, visit www.ymcaerie.org

Action Based Learning Program is Whole-Brain, Whole-Body

Wattsburg, PA – Ron Gibbons, physical education teacher at WattsburgElementary School, believes that learning is tied to  movement.  And, there’s a growing body of research to suggest that he is right.

“At Wattsburg, we’re seeing that action-based learning helps kids stay attentive and focused in class.  It’s teaching strategy that teaches specific academic concepts by actually carrying out a physical activity, rather than listening to a lecture or merely watching a demonstration,” says Gibbons.  “Educational research suggests that about 85 percent of school-age students are predominantly kinesthetic learners.”

WattsburgElementary School, in partnership with the YMCA of Greater Erie, began incorporating action-based learning for preschool children in 2011.  Gibbons says the approach at Wattsburg is whole-brain, whole-body learning as he works closely with YMCA preschool and Wattsburg kindergarten teachers to dovetail action-based learning concepts with classroom lessons.

“The kids may be playing a game of hop-scotch, but each square and number in the square is a different color – identifying their square and number before advancing.  Or, they may trace shapes taped to the gym’s walls with their dominant and non-dominant hand.  At the mat station, they look at a poster with a diagram of how to write letters and then replicate it by walking the outline of the letter on a special mat.”

“Kids are having so much fun, they don’t know they’re learning,” says Y Early Care & School-Age Enrichment Center Director Lindsey Lasher.  “In the classroom, we’ve seen such a great improvement with fine and gross motor skills as well as their spatial recognition.  Gym class, which is they way the children refer to it, is something they look forward to everyday.”

Early indicators from kindergarten teachers show that the Y’s students who participated in Action Based Learning are in a higher percentile both academically and perceptually among their peers.  Students are assessed several times per year and ongoing adjustments made to their learning says Gibbons.  “So, for example, if a child is having difficulty with a particular concept academically or socially, we might adjust how we are teaching it through Action Based Learning.”