Playful donation made to migrant tots

By MAURA POSSLEY

For the 66 babies and toddlers, playing together, singing and learning to interact is key for their next step in life.

Once these migrant children leave the Palmetto Migrant Head Start program, they move on to kindergarten at area public schools, where the culture change in itself is daunting, said Linda Vanden Berg, early childhood specialist with the program.

Their skills and abilities must be in line with the American students.

That is why a recent donation that brought about new playground equipment to the program, while seemingly playful in nature, is important for the tots' development, Vanden Berg said.

A $10,000 donation by Palmetto's West Coast Tomato has made that happen for the program, a project of the Redlands Christian Migrant Association, which has similar programs throughout the state.

"Their parents are an integral part of our operation," said Bob Spencer, a farm vice president. "We want to help them and help their families by providing quality day care and a quality education for their children."

The farm also donated alphabet carpeting to one of the program's classrooms and rocking chairs for its infant room.

The children at Head Start are 6 weeks old to 5 years old and live at migrant camps across the county. Their parents are farmworkers at West Coast, Pacific Tomato, Falkner Farms and Whisenant Farms.

Most speak Spanish but understand almost fully the English language. At Head Start, teachers begin introducing English, which because of their young age will be picked up with ease, Vanden Berg said.

The playground equipment helps them with a variety of early childhood skills from climbing to standing in line, she said.

Because many of the children live in close quarters with their migrant families, Vanden Berg said, they need extra help in developing motor skills.

"Life is hard enough for them, just getting them to laugh and enjoy being a child" is important, she said. "Our goal is definitely making sure the kids are ready to go into the public schools."