Building A Community Of
WORDS & PICTURES: Jessica Schubick
Now in its third year, Soar In 4 is Manatee
4-year-olds and their families have
the opportunities and support they need
for success in preschool, school, and
beyond. How are they doing this? The
Learning team worked with community
Task Force to develop a program that
would address early learning needs
through play-based, interactive events
that are fun for the whole family!
Dr. Sheila Halpin, Title 1 Specialist
with Manatee County Public Schools,
organizes the Soar In 4 programming.
Dr. Halpin explained: “Soar in 4 is
a phenomenal program that was
developed by our community in
alignment with the Campaign for
Grade-Level Reading. It came into
existence because of our students
3rd grade.”
Soar In 4 helps develop communities of
learners by bringing students, parents, and
teachers together in an informal setting
Family STEAM Nights are free events for
all Manatee County families with children in
PreK – 3rd grade. These standards-based
events provide an opportunity for children
to develop their socialization skills, while
improving their literacy and classroom
skills. The program also helps parents
understand more about how their children
learn and how simple, educationally-based
activities can be reproduced at home.
Dr. Halpin continued: “Soar in 4 are
intentionally-designed activities to support
be learning all year long. The activities
are theme-based, but everything should
tie back to supporting literacy in the
classroom and all activities are play.
creating their own stories and having fun.
standards in different ways than they
might have seen in the classroom before.”
Dr. Halpin added: “Classroom teachers
are invited to participate and bring their
as to how they can implement standards
in their classrooms, maybe differently than
also there meeting families in a different
in play and through play to support their
Asked what she hopes families take
away from the program, Dr. Halpin said:
“We want the families to have fun! And to
learn together and explore. But we also
see that the children and families that
attend Soar In 4 – the children are doing
support. The families are reporting that
they feel more connected to school, that
that those children have more days that
Soar in 4 has partnered with several
downtown Bradenton organizations for the
Night features those three locations:
art, music, and movement activities at
and math and science activities at the
South Florida Museum. Families can
move from one venue to another during
Family STEAM Nights to explore all the
activities, greet teachers and volunteers,
and socialize with other families.
The program relies on community
partners not only for space for their
programming, but for all aspects of their
operations. Dr. Halpin noted: “Soar In
4 is a community-shared program.
Private donations support Soar In 4,
strong collaborations with Manatee
Education Foundation and the
Manatee Community Foundation.
Both of those organizations have
reached out to very supportive and
generous donors throughout our
also fantastic when the community
comes out and volunteers with us on
Soar In 4 nights, so they can not only see
where their dollars are going, but they can
also invest their time. We could not do this
alone. It is a community activity to support
all of our children.”
Local mother Stephanie Ison attended the
October Soar In 4 event with her husband
and two daughters, Lainey and Malin. This
was the second STEAM Night her family
had attended. Asked why she brought
her family to another Soar In 4, Stephanie
faces at the last event, so we wanted to
getting a lot of exposure to thinking outside
of the box, being creative, and using their
imagination – not necessarily things that
they see every day at school.”
Asked if she thought the events were also
replied: “Absolutely. It gives you some
insight into the creativity of your child
and their thought processes and how to
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