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is growing by leaps and bounds.
The Starfish Mentoring Program matches caring adults with young children who could use some additional support. Oftentimes these relationships will last for years and range from some extra help with homework to trips to museums, music lessons or cheers from the sidelines at a sporting event. It amounts to another concerned adult in a child’s life and that relationship can have a huge impact for that child’s future.
Coombs gets visibly excited when she talks about the success of Headwater’s minigrants. “I can remember in ‘97, we had two grants totally about $1,100,” said Coombs. “Now, we have $90,000 in grants, think of that.” While Headwaters also awards monies for teachers to take a special course or attend a special seminar or conference through their complementary staff development program, the mini-grants generally go toward direct purchases of equipment like Book Buddy Totes. “Sometimes it’s not always easy for a working parent to read to their child eveiy night,” explained Coombs, “that’s where the Book Buddies come in.” “It’s a tote that has a tape recorder, tape and accompanying book. The child knows how to use it and can listen and read-along by themselves.”
More recently the third grade class received PDA’s - personal digital assistants - that allow them to interact with curriculum in a fun and fascinating way using very high tech mini-computers. Coombs recalled that several years ago, then kindergarten teacher Marti Cannon was anxious to get a set of wooden blocks for her young charges. “Blocks are great,” said Coombs, “they help with spatial learning and creativity.” Cannon received her blocks and when she retired she bequested them to another kindergarten
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