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Testimonials
Success Stories from Our Teachers, Parents and Students
4th Street Primary Center
Los Angeles Unified School District
Vermel E. Taylor, Principal
"I am pleased
to say that my experience with Bright Start has been very rewarding for
all parties concerned. Parent response was extremely enthusiastic. For
example, I had parents reminding me of the upcoming sessions instead of me
reminding them. Also, parents discussed and shared topic information at
the monthly Council meetings. As we prepare the budget for next year,
parents are already requesting to have more of this training.
From an administrative viewpoint, there was very little to do beyond
scheduling the meetings. Bright Start provided the announcements to
advertise the workshops and kept motivation to attend high by raffling a
computer at the end of the series of workshops. The instructor was well
received by the parents as well. I noted how parents tended to linger at
the conclusion of a class to continue their discussions and ask questions.
In summary, the money spent for this series of workshops was well worth
it and we look forward to offering it to parents next year.
Thank you for all you assistance in bringing the program to our parents."
The Armed Services YMCA, Camp Pendleton, California
The ASYMCA is a non-profit organization and offers the Bright Start Program to families at no cost. "This is definitely something all families on or off Pendleton need to take advantage of," said Samantha J. Holt, Family program director, ASYMCA, Camp Pendleton."
"I found more than I came for," said Amy L. King, military spouse, after the March graduation. "We learned how to listen to our children more effectively and give them important life lessons."
The Bright Start program also offers free childcare during each class, allowing parents to focus more during class. While parents are in class, Children will be cared for by the ASYMCA staff, which gives the younger children a chance to participate in various activities and enjoy snacks. The program offers more than just advice and lessons; Bright Start is also giving each family who attends 30 books totaling $225 for free.
Chicago
Parents Kickoff a Bright Start to their Summer
Parents from Chicago Public Schools began their first of six Bright
Start Family Literacy workshops on June 17th. Well over 100
parents attended with excitement of future workshops to come.
The Office of Language and Cultural Education through the
Chicago Public Schools are providing these workshops every
week until the end of July.
The impression of what the parents liked about the workshops
ranged from the high energy and spirit in which our Bright
Start Consultant, Yolanda Salazar, presented the materials
and session to having the opportunity to interact and share
parental issues, concerns and challenges with other parents.
We look forward to many successes to come in Chicago!
Hoover
Elementary,
Los Angeles Unified School District
Picture
of enlightened parents who recently completed a motivating
hands-on 6 weeks of Bright Start Family Literacy training
held at Hoover Elementary in District F, Los Angeles Unified
School District. Jesus Javier, well known and respected KRCA-TV
Channel 62 News Anchor brought surprise and excitement with
his attendance handing out and congratulating parents upon
their workshop series completion. These workshops were held
in Spanish and Hoover Elementary is providing the same Bright
Start Family Literacy workshops for parents within the Korean
community in Korean and English. Bright Start will present
these workshop starting the first week of April.
Middletown
Parents Give the Gift of Literacy
Parents
of the Middletown, Ohio School District were empowered to help
their children succeed when Bright Start Educational Consultants
presented the Bright Start Family Literacy program in workshop
sessions at Taft, Amanda, Jefferson, Roosevelt, Wildwood and
Creekview Elementary schools of Middletown, Ohio.
The
workshops, held from November, 2002 through January, 2003,
ensured that parents could help give their kids the gift of
literacy for the holidays and through the New Year! Mr. Mike
Farmer, Title One Director of this school district brought
parent leaders together on November 6th to introduce Bright
Start Educational Consultants's Bright Start Family Literacy
Program with Gary Surdam, President and Founder of Bright
Start Educational Consultants.
Here's
what the parent participants are saying:
Roosevelt Elementary Parents
A
father: "I learned that instead of asking my son 'How
was your day', I started asking 'What was your best part of
the day at school' - instead of my son answering 'fine' we
now have meaningful conversations. Another father said he
started looking into the eyes of his children when they talked
instead of being busy doing other things while they tried
to talk to him. Result was an increase in meaningful conversations.
Another father said his family set aside time to sit down
and have dinner altogether. He found it relaxing and experience
more conversation with his family.
Taft Elementary Parents
A
mother limited their children's TV time and started going
to the library, to the park and sharing more time as a family.
It's a routine and the kids don't even miss the TV. Another
mother shared they started playing board games where before
when her children would ask she would say she was too busy.
At first her kids didn't know what to think but now love it.
Mayfield Elementary Parents
"I
didn't realize how important it was to look at the pictures
first and discuss them before reading the story." "My
grandchild really understood the story when we discussed the
pictures first."
The
"Bright Start Family Literacy Workshop" Session
topics include Literacy, Effective Parenting and Communication.
Bright Start Educational Consultants has conducted this hands-on
workshop with high success throughout the country in Missouri,
Colorado, California, Washington State, Virginia, Ohio, Texas,
Nevada, New York and Connecticut.
Bright
Start Family Literacy Boosts Lorena Street Scores
Lorena Street Elementary School, part of the Los Angeles Unified
School District, reports great success with the Bright Start
Family Literacy Program. Using part of a Title Seven bilingual
grant funded by the federal government, Lorena Street implemented
the Bright Start Family Literacy program in the academic year
2001-2002.
The
goal of the three-day workshop series was to train parents
to help their kids become more successful in school. This
success was measured by the Academic Performance Index (API).
Prior to the Bright Start Family Liteacy program, API scores
averaged 525 where the statewide performance goal was 800.
Lorena Street's goal was to increase API scores by 14 points
through the Bright Start Family Literacy program.
But
the actual results were even better. Students tested after
the conclusion of the Bright Start Family Literacy workshops
scored an average of 603 on the APIs. Lorena Street increased
its API scores by a whopping 78 points!
Teachers
Stay With New Teacher Training Program
Emmett
Terrell, Deputy Superintendent of the Pomona Unified School
District, Calif., said his district is now retaining 80
percent of its new teachers, thanks to Bright Start
Educational Consultants’s New Teacher Training
Program.
“This
program moves teaching from a perception to a comprehensive
understanding,” he said.
Bright
Start Educational Consultants has provided the Pomona Unified
School District with its New Teacher Training Program since
1996, with over 500 first-year teachers receiving training
from this in-service program.
Bright Start Educational Consultants
951.440.4561
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