The North Madison County Excel By 5 Coalition hosted the 4th annual Health Fair & Back to School event on Saturday, August 1, 2015, at St. Paul AME Zion Church in Canton, Miss. The successful event allowed families from Canton and North Madison County to receive information on the importance of early childhood education and reading to their young children prior to entering kindergarten, healthy eating and hygiene habits, planning for their children’s financial future and fun face painting and games.
All the children, from younger than one year old to five years old received a free book bag with school supplies to better equip them for their school years.
“Saturday’s event exemplified what the Excel By 5 initiative is all about: pooling resources and working together to strengthen the community,” said Dr. Pollia Griffin, retired assistant superintendent of Madison County Schools and North Madison County Excel By 5 Early Care and Education Focus Group Chairwoman. “More than 20 exhibitors, representing early care and education and healthcare participated.”
The Excel by 5 initiatives has propelled parents to read to their children in order to prepare them for an education that will improve grades and test scores, and cultivate studious habits for further education. By instilling these vital life skills at the earliest ages, these children will develop cognitive thinking abilities that will last them throughout their entire life.
Excel By 5 is an innovative early childhood community certification process focusing on a
community’s young children. It emphasizes the important roles parents and early
childhood educators play in the lives of children during their most formative years – birth to age 5. United Way of the Capital Area, MCEDA and the Madison County Business League & Foundation serve as Co-Lead Agencies for the Coalition.