Iowa Community Action Association - News - UDMO Head Start Classrooms Explore Cultures through RIF Program
Iowa Community Action Association - News - UDMO Head Start Classrooms Explore Cultures through RIF Program
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UDMO Head Start Classrooms Explore Cultures through RIF Program

Upper Des Moines Opportunity, Inc. (UDMO) Head Start students took a “trip” around the world as part of this year’s Reading Is Fundamental (RIF) program. For more than 18 years UDMO has received grant funding from RIF to develop classroom activities and purchase books to give to the children. UDMO Head Start offers the program three times each school year in classrooms in eight counties.
 
The 2009-2010 RIF program featured multicultural themes that coincided with the three events and book distributions: A Fiesta of Fun, Chinese New Year, and African Safari. Each child received a make-believe passport that was stamped when they participated in each event.
 
The first theme, A Fiesta of Fun, involved breaking a piñata, dancing with homemade maracas, and creating Play Dough pottery. Next, the children celebrated the Chinese New Year as they danced to Chinese and Vietnamese music while wearing dragon hats and dancing wands they created themselves. The final leg of their “journey” took them on an African Safari. The students made zebra puppets, created pieces for a snake puzzle, and used storytelling hats. Appreciation goes out to the parents who prepared special food so the children could sample dishes popular in Mexico, China and Africa.
 
The RIF program provides books for each of the 328 children enrolled in Head Start as well as those students in our many partnership classrooms. There were many types of books given away during the events, including: Giraffes Can’t Dance by Giles Andreae and Guy Parker-Rees, In the Small, Small Pond by Denise Fleming, and Good Night Moon by Margaret Wise Brown.
 
Annually, UDMO submits a grant application to RIF that must be matched with 30 percent in local donations. Service groups, civic organizations, and individuals in each community have been vital partners in raising these matching funds. Because of the RIF grant and the generous donations of local individuals and organizations each child was able to select books for his/her personal library during these events.
 
Head Start staff members welcome the opportunity to speak to local groups about RIF and other early literacy programming. For more information about local RIF events or the Head Start program call (800) 245-6151.
 
Applications are now being taken for the Head Start preschool program which will begin in the fall of 2010. Any child who is age 3 or 4 by September 15, 2010 is encouraged to apply. Please call UDMO’s central office at (800) 245-6151 to receive program and transportation information.