Kenly native Amanda Cockrell recently completed her senior project on the “Benefits of Community Service.” As a product, the 17-year-old senior at Johnston County Early College Academy decided to organize a diaper drive to benefit the Partnership for Children of Johnston County.

“I was introduced to the Partnership for Children through the Smithfield-Selma Area Chamber of Commerce where I am a summer intern,” Cockrell said. “When I heard that they needed diapers, I was happy to help.”

With the help of several area churches, Cockrell held a diaper drive over a two-week period. After that time, she collected and counted all the donated diaper packages. “When we delivered all the diapers, we had a grand total of 3,533 diapers!” Amanda stated. “It was beyond anything I could have asked for.” The diapers will be used by the Partnership to assist struggling parents in the area to provide for the needs of their children.

Cockrell said that most rewarding part of the entire experience was knowing how many families with children would benefit from this project. “I want to say thank you to anyone that helped in any way to make this project a huge success.”

Amanda Cockrell and Dwight Morris, Executive Director of the Partnership for Children of Johnston County, pose with more than 3, 500 diapers that will go to families with young children in Johnston County.

Tell us your Imagination Moment!

“I have always known how important reading is, not only for yourself, but especially important to children of all ages. We have three children ages 8, 6, and 2. All three love to be read to. Our daughter will even read to our two sons. Not only does Grant, who is only two, get super excited when a book comes, but so do his sister and brother. We all curl up together on the couch, making sure everyone can see the pictures, and read the book together. It is wonderful to know that all three children love to be read to and it also gives us a chance to have family time together. I am extremely grateful for Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library and the blessing that we receive every month when a book comes to our mailbox!

“One of the most endearing times in our family is when we started receiving books written by Anna Dewdney. Our first book was “Llama Llama Red Pajama!” Our little Grant thought this book was so funny! He would laugh and laugh saying Llama Llama. Several months later, we received “Llama Llama Mad at Mama” and this one was equally as funny and he enjoyed it tremendously. One day after reading this book he looked up at me and said “Mommy Jommy! I love you Mommy Jommy.” Not only do the words sink in but he starts to associate rhyming words too. To this day, my nick name for him is “Mommy Jommy.” It is such a thrill to see and experience your child grasp knowledge and run with it.”

-Kendra, Asheboro, NC

North Carolina’s economy depends on quality child care. The early care and education system:

• Allows parents to work, earning nearly $12.5 billion each year for our state.
• Generates $1.7 billion annually
• Employs 50,000 North Carolinians
• And most importantly, it builds human capital, laying the groundwork for the state’s future success.

The Insight Center for Community Economic Development has written a report on the economic impact of investments in early care and education in North Carolina. Download the 2011 Economic Impact Report.

Preview: The Economic Impact of Investments in Early Care and Education in North Carolina - Executive Summary

Read the statewide report, then open the new widget below to find out how early education impacts your North Carolina county.

Share a link to this webpage with legislators, business leaders, and others to explain what the research makes clear: Investments in early education are the wisest investments we can make.

“Every teacher here has benefited from the Smart Start Education Stars program. The program provides tuition, books and fees for college credit courses to full-time child care teachers in licensed child care facilities. As teachers advance their professional development at South Piedmont Community College, they also strengthen the quality of instruction for the children in their classrooms.

My teachers all have their early childhood education credentials now. In 2009, only one teacher had the credential. Their advance education is so beneficial to the children. It’s those basics that you start building on, to see if each child is where he should be developmentally.”
-Cindy Owen, Director of New Testament Child Development Center, Union County

“I was enrolled at Family Connections, an early childhood program in Morganton, for two and a half years. The positive consequences of the program are ones that I realized during all my years of schooling. I noticed that I was not in any English as a Second Language (ESL) programs as many of my Hispanic peers were. I excelled in all aspects of my academic career and later became a participant of the Academically Gifted (AG) program and Humanities program in high school.

In the fall of 2011, I will leave to go to Brown University and continue my success there. I believe that participating in these programs does much to increase a student’s love of learning and implementing these ideas in an early age can have successful consequences. ”

-Ana Ramirez, Burke County

Family Connections (Parents as Teachers), was the first activity the Burke County Smart Start funded 18 years ago. 

“As a young mother of four, I felt overwhelmed with how to be a good parent. I had been in foster care myself and was currently in a violent relationship. After enrolling in the Smart Start funded Nurturing Parent program I bonded with my son, and established positive parenting habits, embracing a non-physical discipline technique. Additionally, I enrolled the children in childcare, started college, and moved into my own apartment. I am now prepared to be a positive, loving parent.”
—Ebony with her daughter, Mecklenburg County

FACT: A review of effective parent education programs shows that they have been linked with decreased rates of child abuse and neglect, better physical, cognitive and emotional development in children, increased parental knowledge of child development and parenting skills, improved parent-child communication, reduced youth substance abuse, and more effective parental monitoring and discipline.  Smart Start family support programs include parent education, home-visiting and early literacy programs.