Federal grant to help Hispanic preschoolers

Art Nadler

Monday, May 24, 1999 | 9:44 a.m.

More Southern Nevada Hispanic preschoolers will enter kindergarten better prepared thanks to a grant from the U.S. Department of Education.

The Sunrise Children's Hospital Foundation, a nonprofit organization that promotes pediatric education and research, secured the $122,483 grant, it announced Friday.

The funds will be used to help 100 Hispanic families through the state Home Instruction Program for Preschool Youngsters. Currently 200 families are in the Southern Nevada program, 50 of which are Hispanic.

The program provides weekly instructions and educational materials to parents, who are taught how to teach their children math, reading and language skills. The grant will be used to provide Spanish-speaking instructors to go into homes and provide bilingual materials to parents.

"Our goal is to get parents involved in their children's education and promote literacy in the home," said Angela Triche, program director. "This helps parents to get involved and stay involved in their children's education."

Triche said it's important that Hispanic preschoolers, those between 3 and 5, prepare before they enter kindergarten. If they don't, she said, they will be at a disadvantage.

While the grant will be used for Hispanic families, Triche said the program is open to all families. There are no qualifications for a family to participate in the free program, just that they have children of preschool age and are willing to get involved in their education.

Carrin Halffman, grants coordinator for the Sunrise foundation, said the grant will provide 30 weeks of daily learning activities for parents. This is the first time, she said, the foundation received a grant for bilingual education.

Triche said the money should be available by September. She encouraged all interested families to call the program office at 648-1885 for information.