Did you know that what children learn before kindergarten affects how well they will do in school and maybe even what career they will have?

Because quality early learning opportunities are vital to a child's success in school and in life, the Pennsylvania's Promise for Children campaign and Carbon County Early Care and Education's LEARN Team are recognizing October as Pennsylvania's Promise for Children Month."Today's young children will face many challenges as adults and we need to make sure that we give them the tools they will need to succeed," said Evalynn Kuehner, Carbon County LEARN coordinator. "Quality early learning opportunities at home and in early learning programs like Keystone STARS, Pennsylvania Pre-K Counts, Head Start, Early Intervention, Nurse-Family Partnership, Keystone Babies, and Parent-Child Home Program, can help our children develop the academic and social skills they will need for kindergarten and beyond."We know from 40 years of research and child outcomes from Pennsylvania's programs that quality early learning works. Yet, only about 22.9 percent of children under age 5 in Carbon County have access to publicly funded quality early childhood programs."Pennsylvania's Promise for Children Month is an opportunity to recognize the importance of quality early learning opportunities for young children and celebrate the families, teachers and leaders that help these children reach their promise every day.For information on key research that shows the importance of quality early learning for young children, as well as simple tips on helping children learn and choosing the right early learning program for them, visit the Pennsylvania's Promise for Children website at

www.papromiseforchildren.com.Pennsylvania's Promise for Children is a campaign to raise awareness about the importance of quality early education in young children's lives and ways to help children reach their promise through quality early learning opportunities. The organization is sponsored by the Pennsylvania Build Initiative, The Heinz Endowments, William Penn Foundation, The Grable Foundation, and the Pennsylvania Early Learning Keys to Quality, in partnership with the Pennsylvania Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL). More than 15,000 Pennsylvanians have signed the Pennsylvania's Promise for Children declaration that they believe quality early education is vital for Pennsylvania's future.To find out more information about the LEARN Team and the quality early learning opportunities available in Carbon County, visit its website at

www.carboncountyece.com or call the office at (570) 325-2771.