Child Development Department

Child Development Grant

By Tony Henry

In 2013-14, the child development department will be administering the second year of 4 year workforce initiative grant funded through the Los Angeles Universal Preschool (LAUP).  Tony Henry, the project director, successfully applied for an additional $75,000.  We were awarded a total of $318,915 for 2013-14!  The LAUP workforce initiative grant aims to meet significant challenges the early care and education (ECE) field has faced in attracting and maintaining a workforce that is adequately skilled, well prepared, and culturally and linguistically diverse.

Last year, we exceeded expectations regarding our target outcomes and we are looking forward to continued strong student participation in services provided; academic counseling, workshops, tutoring, book loaning, and student stipends.  The CDWFI team includes Lynn Matthiesen (grant specialist), Amy Kramer 

(academic counselor), Daniella Risnoveanu (student clerk) and Tony Henry (project director).  We will be hiring a high school outreach mentor to assist with efforts to outreach to students interested in child development from our target high schools, Garey High School and Rowland High School. 

We established a strong working relationship with the vibrant Child Development Association (CDA campus club) to deliver workshops to students and support students on their journey through their experience as a child development major.  Last year, Amy provided 232 academic counseling sessions and helped students create 212 student educational plans.  A total of 26 students graduated with an AS degree in Child Development and 19 students transferred to 4-year universities.  This program has been especially useful in helping us understand our students’ successes as well as where students are experiencing academic or personal challenges, failure or roadblocks preventing permit, transfer or degree completion.   

This coming year, we will award $600 stipends to 65 Mt. SAC Child Development successful students and $1,000 stipends to child development students who have successfully transferred to a 4-year university.  By year end, we will be awarding a total of $59,000 to participating students, not to mention book loans, payment for child development permit application Livescan fees and other benefits.  We are very pleased with how this grant supports our students with many practical and beneficial means to help them meet their educational and personal goals.