Program Highlights
| Four family resource centers | Multi-Cultural libraries for parents & children, interactive play spaces, conference room areas for parents and workshops |
| Museum Pass Program | Museums, zoos & other Cultural venues & events |
| Quarterly Lecture Series | Public discourse forums for parents, policy makers, professionals, spiritual leaders, business leaders, and concerned citizens |
| Parent Family Enhancement Activities | Parenting workshops, support & self help groups, family literacy & ESL classes, and family events |
Each Family Resource Center has a Children's Library. Multi cultural literature is important because it provides role models for children. It is a way for children to expand their horizons. Through multi cultural literature more children are able to recognize themselves in books. When educators provide an opportunity for the use of books about children of different cultures in their classrooms the message is loud and clear. We respect the cultures of all children and want to make certain these children's lives are celebrated and shared.
There are many issues that are important in selecting multi cultural titles. The most important concepts, which are depicted in books about children, of different cultures are self esteem and self images. When children finish hearing a story, they should feel positive about who they are. Learning about history and heritage and hearing about real situations are important issues that can be learned through books as well. We want to present all children with good literature for their growing years.
We want children of all cultures to feel strong, resilient, capable and confident. Good literature may help in this as children see themselves reflected in the mirror. In addition to entertaining our children, books are depicting their lives, heritages, hopes and thus challenging them to become life long readers.
As part of the family resource centers there are Interactive-play-spaces for preschoolers and toddlers incorporated into the design. These play-spaces will be a place to engage and captivate children through hands-on activities, dramatic play opportunities, and early experiences in science and nature. Each space contains the same major components, with one interchangeable module at each center, and the capacity to add more interchangeable pieces in the future.
By providing a small, compact play area rich in resources and diverse in the types of activities these play areas appeal to a wide variety of learners and will help them to learn and grow at multiple levels of development. Almost all of these activities will appeal to one through four year old children. The thinking tools they will bring to their play and the way they interact with the spaces will enhance their skill and developmental levels. Parents can also have fun and learn in these spaces. They have a chance to see their children interact within the spaces, and play with children in their element.