Parent Engagement & Education | GKFF Area of Focus

OVERVIEW

Research shows that low‐income children gain a dramatically greater chance for emotional, social, financial and cognitive success if they are provided high-quality educational opportunities at a very early age. GKFF® supports early childhood education initiatives with an emphasis on the critical role parents and caregivers play to enrich everyday activities and maximize early learning.

Each year, GKFF sponsors more than 2,000 children enrolled in high-quality early education centers.

The majority of a baby’s brain is formed by age three.

A gap in early vocabulary growth between low-income children and their higher income peers is evident as early as 18 months of age.

“Every child can realize America’s promise of equal opportunity given the right start. Simple activities like reading together, singing along with the radio and other playful interactions engage young children in learning throughout the day. We know that everyday actions make a profound impact on a baby’s educational development and well‐being.”

— George B. Kaiser

INITIATIVES

Education is one of the key mechanisms for providing equal opportunity to every child in Tulsa. Starting early sets a solid foundation, but there is also need for continued support for children (PreK‐12) after the age of three in our schools.

EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION

Access to high-quality, comprehensive early childhood education opportunities for at‐risk children, starting at birth, can help improve their long‐term academic and life success. These early education opportunities help build the foundation for low-income children to perform as well as their middle-class peers when they enter kindergarten.

PreK-12 EDUCATION

GKFF believes that an equal opportunity to a strong educational foundation is critical to a child’s long-term success. Investment in PreK‐12 learning helps to maintain and amplify foundational education gains and solidify a level playing field for families, regardless of socioeconomic status.

PARENT ENGAGEMENT

GKFF provides Tulsa families with support and resources to encourage parent‐child engagement and interaction. Through medical, community and faith‐based outreach, GKFF and key community partners communicate the importance of talking, reading and singing with babies, beginning at birth.

PARENT ENGAGEMENT & EARLY EDUCATION FEATURES