Uniontown, Kan. -- From the moment a child is born, he or she begins developing cognitive skills.

According to the Bush Administration's Early Child-hood Initiative, found at www.whitehouse.gov, developmental scientists have found that the brain obtains a great amount of information in the first year of life. Long before babies can talk, they are learning about language.

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"By the time babies utter or understand their first words, they know which particular sounds their language uses; what sounds can be combined to create words; and the tempo and rhythm of words and phrases," the Bush Administration said.

The opportunity of success later in a child's life is greatly enhanced by the development a child undergoes early in life, according to the Bush Administration.

"For example, infants who are better at distinguishing the building blocks of speech at six months are better at other more complex language skills at two and three-years-of-age and better at acquiring the skills for learning to read at four and five-years-of-age," the Bush Administration said.

Adding that a child's ability to master the alphabet in kindergarten is an important indicator of what that child's reading level will be when he or she is in high school. Because of these factors, it is important for all children to be given early learning opportunities.

"When young children are provided an environment rich in language and literacy interactions and full of opportunities to listen to and use language constantly, they can begin to acquire the essential building blocks for learning how to read. A child who enters school without these skills runs a significant risk of starting behind and staying behind," the Bush Administration said.

Parent's are a child's first and most important teachers, according to the Bush Administration. For this reason, the Bush Administration said it is important for parents to be provided with support in educating their children.

The USD 234 school district and the USD 235 school district in partnership with the Southeast Kansas Education Service Center, Greenbush has been offering support to some parents by providing a 4-year-old preschool program. The free program, which is funded by grants through the Kansas Department of Education, provides 4-year-olds opportunities and experiences that will prepare them for school success. In addition, it develops their social-emotional, physical, cognitive and language skills.

The 4-year-old preschool program is designed especially to meet the needs of children who are economically or environmentally disadvantaged, according to www.greenbush.com.

According to Greenbush. Early Childhood Director Cassandra Elsworth, the preschool program operates the same schedule as the regular school schedules. The preschool sessions are half-day sessions, Elsworth said. Most classes contain about 14 students.

The preschool program offers much needed support to parents and children by preparing children for kindergarten, Elsworth said.

"This free preschool will provide fun-filled, hands on opportunities and experiences to enhance a child's cognitive, language, social, emotional and physical development in preparation for kindergarten," a press release from Elsworth said.

According to the Bush Administration programs like the 4-year-old preschool are essential in the effort to improve early childhood learning.

"Efforts to improve early childhood learning will not work unless they involve States and school districts, which shoulder the primary responsibility for providing public education," the Bush Administration said.

"Since States and districts are directly responsible for student learning and achievement in school, preparing children to learn before they start school is in their best interest.

"This is particularly true now that the No Child Left Behind law requires standards and accountability for every school in America. Many States and districts have already taken concrete steps in recognition that, in order for students to succeed once they reach school, they must come prepared to learn."

For more information about the 4-year-old preschool programs in Fort Scott or Uniontown, contact Elsworth at (800) 554-3412.