Press Release

For Immediate Release:
April 23, 2012

For more information, contact:

Meredith MacMillan

202-350-8857

Communities around the Nation Celebrate NAEYC’s
Week of the Young Child™

Hundreds of NAEYC Affiliates, early childhood programs, community organizations, and families participate in events around the country

WASHINGTON—This week hundreds of groups and individuals around the country are celebrating the Week of the Young Child, originated by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC). The Week of the Young Child is an annual event that draws public attention to the needs of young children and their families and recognizes the accomplishments of programs and communities in providing high-quality early childhood development and learning experiences. Around the nation, events and activities will be held in child care and Head Start programs, schools, libraries, and other settings.

“Maximizing opportunities for each child is our collective responsibility,” said Jerlean E. Daniel, PhD, Executive Director of NAEYC. “Now more than ever we must remain committed to ensuring that all young children have access to high-quality early learning experiences that prepare them for success in school and in life.”

Established in 1971, this year’s Week of the Young Child will be celebrated April 22–28 with the theme of Early Years Are Learning Years^®. Research shows that the achievement gap can start as early as nine months old and that high-quality early childhood programs not only help to close the achievement gap before kindergarten, but also set a positive path for executive functioning that carries through the workplace. Economists such as James Heckman have shown that the investments in high-quality early childhood education from birth have a high rate of return and help our national economy become stronger.

During the Week of the Young Child NAEYC encourages our nation to consider how each of us can better meet the needs of young children and their families directly or through grassroots advocacy. For more information, please visit the NAEYC website.

Founded in 1926, the National Association for the Education of Young Children is the largest and most influential advocate for high-quality early care and education in the United States.

Communities around the Nation Celebrate NAEYC’s Week of the Young Child™

Hundreds of NAEYC Affiliates, early childhood programs, community organizations, and families participate in events around the country

Communities around the Nation Celebrate NAEYC’s
Week of the Young Child™