Brevard Thrive By Five Program Supports Every Child
In the midst of endless challenges associated with navigating year two of a pandemic, Brevard Public Schools (BPS) proudly launched Brevard Thrive by Five just before the close of the fall 2021 semester.
The brainchild of BPS Superintendent Dr. Mark Mullins, Thrive by Five is a brand new initiative that aims to raise awareness about the importance of early literacy and development. It gives families a central place to find resources, information, and best practices for their children from birth to age 5, and ultimately promotes readiness for school, setting the stage for success in the classroom.
The first five years of life are critical to a child’s lifelong development. The action steps families take in their children’s early years will directly impact their future. In fact, according to the Children’s Reading Foundation, students who are behind when they start kindergarten make up the largest percentage of high school dropouts. Even more shocking is that these students have less than a 12% chance of attending college.
Made possible by the support of local healthcare partners at Health First, Parrish Healthcare, and Steward Medical Group, Thrive by Five fills a need in our community to make connections with new families and provide them with vital resources that they otherwise might not even know they need. This connection is made on day one in the hospital when parents of new babies are gifted with a Thrive by Five bag filled with early literacy information, a book, and other goodies to help them along their new journey.
The program doesn’t stop once new families venture home from hospital — parents can find valuable information on the ever growing Thrive by Five website, and their children will receive a new book on their first, second, and third birthdays. A mobile app is in the early stages of development.
Dr. Mullins has big dreams for Thrive by Five. With over 5,000 babies born in Brevard County each year, the hope is that Brevard will not only see an improvement in kindergarten readiness and success throughout students’ educational careers, but also improvements in our community as a whole. When students are successful in school, they are less likely to get involved in crime, and more likely to be ready to graduate, pursue further education, and enter our workforce as productive members of society. The benefits are endless.
Dr. Mullins says that with our Thrive by Five partnerships with healthcare providers and other local businesses, “We are showing every new family that Brevard County is here to provide support as their child develops from birth and onward. Together, we can ensure that every child in our community can Thrive by Five.”
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