Never Underestimate the Power of a Suit

This past forum Emily Baker, the Success by 6 director, came to speak to us about their program here in the Shoals. Success by 6 is a program of United Way, but there are 350 local or state Success by 6 initiatives across the U.S. Some of the initiatives are programs of organizations such as United Way, while others stand alone. The purpose of the Success by 6 program is to promote and support early childhood education. Baker told us that early childhood education is essential to breaking the cycle of poverty. As a child from a middle-class, two-parent household, it was astonishing hearing some of the facts that she relayed to us during forum, and to realize that I took and still take some things for granted.
Here are a few facts that Baker listed for us concerning the failings of early childhood education:

• Nearly 1/2 of America's kindergartners are behind.
• 4th graders without reading skills are not likely to graduate.
• Today 7 out of 10 fourth graders can't read on basic level.

These statistics are sad, but I am encouraged because programs like Success by 6 are available in communities. Baker also explained to us that each program is unique and tailored to the communities' needs that is serves. Therefore, you won't have some generic plan in all Success by 6 programs that ends up not helping everyone and potentially not doing what it set out to do. Baker also described to us the Better Beginnings volunteer program. It saddens me that they only had one volunteer for their program, but it also inspired me to want to help as well. Better Beginnings sounds like a great way to get involved in the community not just now but for the long run as well because of the impact we can have on those children's lives in the various day cares. I would love to play and interact with all of the children whose parents are working hard to provide for them.
Beyond the information about Success by 6 and Better Beginnings, Emily Baker also spoke to us about entering the real world after college, which is where I got the title for this blog. She told us never to underestimate the power of the suit, along with saying the advice, "Don't let lack professionalism be a factor for being passed up for a job." She said in the context that many young people lack experience, which is a main factor in being passed up for a job, so don't let not being professional be another strike against you!
<3 Best wishes for this upcoming week!
Lesley =)