Building a trail of learning in Pensacola


  • September 10, 2014
  • /   Reggie Dogan
  • /   education

A child’s early years lay the foundation for all that is to come later in life.

In an ideal world, all children would enter school ready and able to learn. Unfortunately, far too many children start school unprepared and unable to ever catch up.

 That’s one of the reasons why the Early Learning Coalition of Escambia County locally sponsored the Born Learning Trail.

A nationwide initiative of the United Way, the trail is a series of 10 signs installed around the perimeter and sidewalks of community centers and parks. Young children can follow the “trail” of signs that promote age specific and simple-to-construct activities that they can do outside or inside.

 “We want the signs to encourage learning and interaction between caregivers and children,” said Justine Olan, Early Learning Coalition’s outreach specialist.” “Parents and caregivers are the child’s first teachers.”

At 1 p.m. today, Pensacola Neighborhood Services Department will hold a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the interactive trail at the Theophalis May Resource Center at Legion Field, 1301 W. Gregory St., in Pensacola.

The public is invited to attend the ceremony to get a up-close look at the innovative way the trail encourages young children to get active and have fun while boosting language and literacy skills.

Early childhood is an important stage of life in a child’s development. It’s a time when children need high levels of attention and learning experiences.

Education, at its best, begins the moment the child is brought home from the hospital and continues when the child starts to attend playgroups and preschools.

About a year ago the Early Learning Coalition contacted the City of Pensacola to find the best places to kick off this learning initiative and install the learning trail signs.

The Early Learning Coalition paid $1,500 for the first round of signs installed last year at Bayview Park. Florida Blue, the project’s sponsor, picked up the $1,500 tab to install the signs at Legion Field. Home Depot provided the building material.

The city recommended Legion Field as another good spot because the new resource center serves a low-income population and lots of parents and caregivers use the park and center for activities, Olan said.

“We hope to build that communication that will help children learn through activities,” Olan said. “Legion Field has a new center and it is the perfect place for it.”

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