S.T.A.R. stands for Staffing, Training, Advocacy, and Resources, and those are exactly the things Tina Mosley and Adrienne Pennington are providing to empower and support the needs of early educators in Missouri. Through research-based training necessary to develop the professional as a whole, their goal is to collaborate with both private and non-profit childcare programs to build educators’ skills and confidence.
How does your organization work to improve child well-being in your community or in the state of MO?
STAR works to improve child well-being in our community and throughout our state by investing in Early Childhood Educators. Our goal is to meet them where they are and provide coaching, training, advocacy and resources to guide their career path in Early Childhood Education. By doing so, educators understand and are able to implement, model and deliver strategies and techniques to guide the learning process for children in their program.
What policy change would you most like to see to support child well-being in our state? Explain!
To support child well-being across our state, change in policy would need to be the Professionalize the Profession. Educators in ECE MUST have a livable wage with benefits. Not only will educators take their passion for the profession more seriously, so will society. A livable wage will invigorate educators to reinvest in our children, programs and themselves.
Why do you think it’s important for our state to invest in children?
It’s important for our state to invest in our children because they are our future. Investing in children from birth will change the dynamics of our communities and our nation by establishing a strong foundation for the child’s growth and development throughout their lifespan. Children and families will feel supported in every capacity and can assist in bridging the gap between child care programs the school system.
What do you like most about being a member of or working with Kids Win Missouri?
Kids Win Missouri identifies issues and politics that we, as citizens may not know or understand. In turn, they help define the issues and policy process and advocate for us to use our voices to be heard and get involved.
To learn more about S.T.A.R. check out their website and Facebook page.