 Located on the site of the old Ben Franklin School, BFEEC presently houses the preschool program known as Children and Parents in Action (CAPA). A very worthwhile project funded by two grants. Our Head Start program is funded through the federal government for students who meet the income requirements for participation. The Prekindergarten program is funded by the State of Illinois and targets at-risk students. This program serves children from ages 3-5 who are at risk of failure because of language, culture, or economic disadvantage. The building itself is environmentally appropriate for small children. CAPA provides not only an educational program that helps lay the groundwork for success in elementary school, it also provides support for the children with: 1.) Hot nutritional meals meeting daily requirements 2.) A comprehensive health care program including physical and dental examinations, immunizations and follow-up on identified health problems 3.) Mental health services to foster the children's emotional growth and help them deal with special problems 4.) Social activities to help them learn positive interaction with others and gain self-confidence 5.) Parental involvement that provides a support system for family growth. |
 The sculpture, donated to Franklin Early Education Center by Krehbiel & Associates, has been named by the children, parents, and community. The little school girl's name is "Hope." The staff of Franklin conducted a penny drive, having the youngsters and adults vote on three names--Roxanne, Natasha, and Hope. Proceeds from the drive were donated to the Art in the City committee, the group responsible for placing sculptures at District 80 schools in recent years, at the sculpture dedication on April 27, 2005. |
