First Lady Michelle Obama visited Para Los Niños’ Tina and Rick J. Caruso Early Education Center, an organization that receives program support from Child360 in the heart of LA’s Skid Row, as a part of her Becoming book tour.
During her visit to this exemplary program, Mrs. Obama had an opportunity to read three books and engage in a conversation with some of our nation’s youngest learners.
“At Child360, we strive to assure every child has the opportunity to succeed in school and life no matter where they grow up,” says Bill Sperling, Child360’s CEO, a leading LA-based nonprofit that partners with educators to elevate the quality of early learning. “First Lady Michelle Obama’s visit today reinforces that children can become whatever they dream, when supported by early learning professionals like those at Para Los Niños.”
Child360 believes in, and is dedicated to, supporting early learning from every angle so that children receive the foundation they deserve. The nonprofit works alongside partner organizations like Para Los Niños to reach their goal of providing the best early learning experiences for children during the critical first years of life when 85% of the brain is developed. Child360 works throughout California and nationwide to improve standards across the early education industry, providing essential coaching and professional development to teachers, administrators, community partners and families.
Mrs. Obama’s visit highlights the importance of fostering a safe, and nurturing learning environment in the earliest years. Research shows that children who attend high-quality preschool demonstrate a range of positive gains in literacy, math, and social-emotional wellbeing that extend through high school and even into adulthood. For children from low-income or disadvantaged families, these benefits are even stronger. At Para Los Niños, with an integrated approach to educating the whole child and tremendous wrap-around services, they are doing just that; consistently, about 85% of preschoolers there reach the DRDP (Desired Results Developmental Profile) goal in social emotional development for kindergarten readiness.
Becoming is a work of deep reflection and mesmerizing storytelling as Michelle Obama invites readers into her world, chronicling the experiences that have shaped her — from her childhood on the South Side of Chicago to her years as an executive balancing the demands of motherhood and work, to her time spent at the world’s most famous address.
