Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 11, Number 9, 1 September 1994 — Hawaiian keiki receive day care tuition [ARTICLE]

Hawaiian keiki receive day care tuition

A year ago, Douglas Mersberg wrote OHA asking for kōkua - not for himself, but for some Hawaiian toddlers who needed the kind of day care that would help them grow and give them the ehanee to do well onee they

entered school. Wai'anae Coast Day Care Centers, ine., the nonprofit whieh Mersberg directs, was serving only 75 ehildren, although it normally served m nrp ihan 100

There were 80 kids on the waiting list who were eligible for tuition support from the state Department of Human Services, but DHS didn't have the funds to help. The hui submitted to OHA a proposal for "child care services to support school readiness," and is receiving $55,000 in three increments to cover services from April '94 until August '95. The keiki in question are from low-ineome families and termed "developmentally delayed," meaning they are behind what is considered average in several skill areas. Children like these have been found to be at a high risk for a host of socioeconomic prob-

lems, but quality day care has been shown to have a positive effect. Says Mersberg, "We work with the children on these skills, we look at where they could be at their age, and we work with

them to a e h i e v e that." In other words, this ain't just babysitting. Although their activities may look I i lep nnf h i n o

more than play, there's a lot of learning going on, explains program director Rita Schuett. For instance, by playing with blocks they leam about spatial relationships and how things fit together, and by playing with books they piek up "pre-read-ing skills." By interacting with eaeh other the children develop their social skills, and they ean try out some of the interactions they've witnessed at home, she adds. "I love working with the kids and with the families," Schuett says. "The children are wonderful, and that's what brings me into work eaeh morning: being able to help and seeing the ehildren improve." JC

Organization: Wai'anae Coast Day Care Centers, ine. Program: Day care OHA grant: $55,000