Education

Our Goal: Give Everyone An Equal Chance At Education

Together, we can give every learner in our community the skills and support they need to succeed--from early childhood to graduation and beyond.

What We're Doing About It

Preparing students for kindergarten.

United Way of Central Missouri has championed the Early Childhood Initiative for over 10 years. Through this initiative we support early childhood programs in the central Missouri area to ensure children birth through 5 years old receive quality early learning opportunities, aid parents in positive parenting practices and support strong transition programming into kindergarten. This initiative also promotes the training and coaching of the Conscious Discipline approach to Early Childhood professionals, which provides a proven and comprehensive approach to discipline that empowers parents with the self-awareness, brain information, development knowledge and usable skills necessary to create safe, connected, problem-solving skills.

Providing educational programming.

Partners like Boys & Girls Club ensure children have access to snacks and meals, homework and reading time, and tutoring after school if needed. Children can also enjoy a multitude of engaging activities like STEM, art, physical fitness, music, dance and more. Agencies like 4H, Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts provide an opportunity for youth to enhance learning opportunities and participate in leadership programs that develop skills that last a lifetime.

Improving literacy rates.

The ability to read and write is the basis for all other education. Those with low literacy skills--the ability to read, write, do math, problem solve and to access and use technology--will struggle to take part in the world around them and fail to reach their full potential as parents, community members and employees. That's why partners like ABLE provides one-on-one personalized tutoring sessions to middle school students and adults.