November 14, 2011 La Tonya Frelix, American Writer
PETAL — Excel By 5 program leaders in Petal spent Monday requesting help from the business and service community to spread its message.
Julie Fondren, Petal School District social worker and coalition chair for Excel By 5, spoke to the Petal Chamber of Commerce and Rotary Club to discuss ways the community can become more involved in getting the word out to the target audience.
Excel By 5 is a Mississippi-only certification given by the state to communities that invest child care, health care, city, church and education services into families and young children.
“We strive to make Petal a child-friendly community,” Fondren said. “We want to make sure every child in Petal has everything they need so they can enter kindergarten ready to learn.”
Petal has been a certified Excel By 5 community for about four years. Fondren said leaders will seek recertification next year and has set several goals to accomplish in early care and education, family and parent support, health and community involvement.
Fondren said business people and the community can easily discuss the program with parents and neighbors with young children.
“More important than funding even is having community members from all different walks of life share that message with young families,” she said. “The more often they hear it, the more likely they are to buy into it.”
Rotary Club President Neil Gray described the program as a parent’s assistant to learning.
“It’s beginning with the children and starting them out at an early age,” he said. “It’s not only for the kids but your taking parents and teaching them how to raise their children.”
Petal Chamber President Allen Flynt said he realized there is a large percentage of parents with children who don’t know about the program. He hopes the chamber can do its part to change that.
“We send out things in the Chamber Chatter but that goes to our chamber members,” he said. “We haven’t done anything as far as the Chamber to promote this in the community and I think that’s something we can absolutely do.”
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