One Saturday morning last August, Shay Wilson turned on the radio and heard an interview that may end up changing the course of her four-year-old granddaughter’s life. The interview was about the profound impact that attending Pre-K can make on a child’s development.
“I remember clearly, Dr. Eva Thomas, Executive Director of Early Childhood Education for Rochester City School District (RCSD), and Brian Lewis, Executive Director for ROC the Future Alliance, were explaining that children don’t need to be potty trained to attend Pre-K,” said Wilson.
“They actually have professionals to help potty train your child. I said, ‘Oh, my God, this is exactly what we need!”
Wilson immediately called the radio station and spoke to Dr. Thomas.
Within a few days, the family was filling out paperwork to enroll Shay’s granddaughter in Pre-K. The child’s mother was discouraged by how difficult it was to find resources to support her daughter, who is autistic. The program has helped her with speech so she can communicate and learn better.
“A lot of people are embarrassed about asking for help,” added Wilson. “Hearing Dr. Thomas and Mr. Lewis on the radio, it was like they were welcoming us with open arms. That gave us hope.”