BUFFALO, NY (WKBW) — With a ceremonial 'snip’ of the ribbon, Buffalo Public School leaders and Say Yes Buffalo are celebrating their latest partnership of wrapping support around students and families for academic success.
It's called the Say Yes Little Scholars Program.
“We know that 'college going' starts right here. It doesn't start in the 11th grade. It really starts at Pre-K and before,” commented Dr. Tonja Williams, Buffalo Public Schools superintendent.
For the last 11 years, Say Yes has provided Buffalo Public School families a chance to go to college for free.
Now Little Scholars is a new preschool program for three-year-olds at West Hertel Academy and the Dr. Charles Drew Annex School, designed to accelerate young learning, with an eye on higher education and a future career.
“Think of the opportunity they are walking into where they can enter an incredible three-year-old program, move right into UPK program in the public schools, move into a kindergarten program, and when they finish their career here — they are going to have access to an apprenticeship a certificate, a two-year degree, a four-year degree and they know that,” remarked David Rust, the executive director of Say Yes Buffalo.
The city school district says the goal of the program is to have their students reading at proficiency levels by the time they leave the third grade.
The three-year-olds are the very youngest of Buffalo Public School students who are emerged in the program that the superintendent is calling a "game-changer.”
“The earlier that we can get our children enrolled in a structural educational setting where they're also getting the social emotional needs and all of those things met, where nutritionally making sure they have everything they need — we're just really wrapping around,” explained Superintendent Dr. Williams.
Buffalo School parents with children enrolled already in little scholars are calling this program a blessing.
“I found myself in a really hard space and one night just scrolling through social media, I saw this ad and I gave it a shot and I am so thankful — I'm so appreciative,” described Uve Baez, parent. “I feel comfortable with leaving my child here.”
"My daughter comes home smiling every day talking about the things she did throughout the day — talks about the food she likes — doesn't like, but you know, as a family, we think the Say Yes program is good for the City of Buffalo,” remarked parent Chaz Walker.
Say Yes and the school district says they plan to open four more little scholars preschool programs this fall.
