As part of its mission to advance quality early learning initiatives for the region’s young children, Smart Beginnings Greater Prince William (SBGPW) partners with business leaders, health professionals, schools, childcare providers and other community stakeholders to help young children start school healthy and ready to learn.
Early literacy is a key component of school readiness and several programs are currently underway in the region, including “Books 4 Babies” and “Reach Out and Read.” Books 4 Babies, a program of SBGPW, provides many families with their baby’s first book as a way to encourage parents to read to their young children from Day One. Over 1,900 books and other educational materials, such as a bookmark about a baby’s brain development and a wheel describing developmental milestones from birth to age five, have been distributed to newborns at Novant Health Prince William Medical Center since October 2013.