Meet Ava
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Devonna Jackson hardly recognizes the confident and independent girl her daughter, Ava, has become since she started attending preschool at East Flatbush Early Childhood Center, a Birch Family Services school that provides services for typically developing preschoolers and children identified with disabilities. Now in her second year at EFECC, her “shy and quiet” daughter has grown into an eager and independent student.
“She comes home excited to tell me about plants and numbers,” says Ms. Jackson. “She sings her ABC’s all day long. She even sings them every night before she goes to sleep.”
Ms. Jackson attributes her daughter’s new found enthusiasm for learning to her teacher, Ms. Claudette, and teaching assistant, Zakyia, whom she “loves.” Since attending Ms. Claudette’s class, Ava, who has a developmental disability, is more independent with using the restroom, has improved her reading comprehension skills, and is asking a lot of questions.
“She comes home excited to tell me about plants and numbers,” says Ms. Jackson. “She sings her ABC’s all day long. She even sings them every night before she goes to sleep.”
But the biggest change that Jackson has noticed is the surge in her daughter’s confidence and decision-making skills.
“Most of all she’s confident in herself and she’s making decisions on what she would like to read, play, sing, dance, eat, and wear,” says Ms. Jackson, who lives with Ava near the school. “It’s such a turnaround from my shy and quiet child.”
With schools located in Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens and the Bronx, Birch Family Services’ education programs provide structured learning classrooms for children with autism and global developmental delays. The classroom environment is child-centered, developmentally based, and encourages students to explore through active learning. We serve more than 1,000 children like Ava each year in our preschool and school-age programs.
But the number of people who turn to Birch Family Services for support continues to grow and the need for our services is greater than ever. With your generosity, we can continue to provide the individuals and families we support with quality services, and have a lasting, positive impact on their lives.
Please consider making a contribution today. You truly can make a difference!