Jessica & La’rissa
If you are lucky enough to find yourself in a room with Jessica and her 18 month-old daughter, La’rissa, you know what pure pride and joy looks like. But, 21 year-old Jessica wasn’t always so full of life. Jessica enrolled in Way to Grow during one of the most challenging times in her young life;…
read moreMayor Hodges Visits Way to Grow as City Launches Talking is Teaching Initiative
Last week, Way to Grow teamed up with Mayor Betsy Hodges and TPT to launch and promote the City’s “Talking is Teaching: Talk, Read, Sing” campaign. The Talking is Teaching campaign is the first initiative to come out of the Mayor’s Cradle to K cabinet, formed in 2014. Carolyn Smallwood, Executive Director of Way to Grow…
read moreWay to Grow hosts BrandLab Intern
Meet Zaq: Last fall, I had the opportunity to participate in a two week class at my school called The BrandLab. This class was facilitated by an organization that recruits talented young people to be introduced to the world of marketing and advertising. During class, we learned about a program called Helping Us Grow (HUG). HUG helps low income families…
read moreWay to Grow Welcomes Redleaf Family Foundation Intern
Meet Emily: The second semester of my junior year abroad in Paris marks the first time I was able to take concrete action towards my future. I started by sending a rather desperate email to my college’s career services office. I explained that I was determined to get an internship this summer, and specified that…
read moreWhy I am a Family Educator
I worked for several years as a Special Education Educator’s Assistant before returning to earn a Master’s Degree in Early Childhood Special Education. After one year at a local school, I quickly realized the classroom was not the place for me. I didn’t feel like I could be as effective as I wanted to be…
read moreMinneapolis Summer Programs
Summer is just around the corner and we are just as excited as your children are! For many of us, summer is time to get out and have fun. Don’t let it pass you by! Below are a few summer programs that may help your child get the most out of their summer. The programs…
read more10 Tried-and-True Family Game Night Ideas
Throughout the year, Way to Grow hosts Family Game Nights as part of our Great by Eight program. On average, over 30 families attend and each family receives a game to take home. These events have become a favorite for Way to Grow families. We feature a different game each time and wanted to share a few…
read moreWay to Grow Spring Luncheon Recap
Dr. Mary Dana Hinton, President of the College of St. Benedict delivered a keynote address focusing on building pathways to hope, to opportunity, and ultimately, to success. [Tweet “”A pipeline to success begins with the assumption that children can be successful.””] Dr. Hinton also stressed the importance of starting early. [Tweet “”By the age of…
read morePreschool Reading Book Wish List
Way to Grow Preschool teachers compiled this list of preschool reading books essential to any little one’s library. You will recognize many of these preschool reading books as early childhood favorites. Unfortunately, we know many of the children in our program lack access to these books and many like them. We also know that a pathway to…
read moreParent Education – Our Message to Parents
Way to Grow Partners with Local Newspaper in Launching Parent Education Section Way to Grow is happy to announce our partnership with the Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder. As a contributing partner to the new parent education section, Message to Parents, we will focus on the most critical issues affecting the communities we serve. In order for parents to fulfill…
read morePromoting Early Literacy Development – Tips for Parents
At its core, early literacy development begins with what children know about reading and writing long before they themselves can read and write. Here are a few tips to help promote early literacy development at home: 1. Enjoy more conversation Make the most of the time you spend with your child by simply talking and listening to…
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