BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – MANY people will certainly agree that early childhood development is fundamentally critical to the academic and social nurturing of children, which create a path for future successful professionals and civic-minded individuals.
As part of the activities to celebrate its 20th Anniversary, tonight (Feb. 22) the Industrial Site Day Care Centre will stage a Miss KDI Pageant in an effort to educate the public about the importance of early childhood development and the Curriculum used to nurture the nation’s future leaders.
The pageant is slated to take place at the Day Care’s compound at the C.A. Paul Southwell Industrial Site, starting at 7:00 p.m.
The contestants in order of their set appearances are Miss Social and Emotional Development Gloria Carey, Miss Language Literature and Communication Shondi Mills, Miss Creative and Visual Arts Natalee Hewlette, Miss Math, Science and Technology Sefferina Audain, and Miss Physical Development and Health Zarema Pemberton.
The four judged segments will be Promotional Speech, Creative Wear, Performing Talent and Evening Wear.
Supervisor of the Industrial Site Day Care, Andrea Liddie informed that the pageant is being held in order “to sensitise the public on what is being taught in early childhood development.”
She explained that the abbreviation KDI stands for Key Developmental Indicators, which are the “building blocks upon which children learn (and) are essential to children’s optimal growth”.
Liddie said that the Centre follows the High Scope Curriculum which she described as being “children-friendly” with “hands-on activities”.
She further said that the Curriculum is a “research validation-based child friendly Curriculum which involves active participatory learning to achieve positive outcomes with hands-on experience with people, objects, events and ideas”.
She pointed out that the Curriculum comprises “five ingredients of learning”, which are Variety Material, Child Language, Choices, Manipulation and Adult Scaffolding.
In observation of admired professions such as doctors and nurses, Liddie declared that education “starts at the Day Care Centre.”
