September 27, 2013 - Albany, GA — Georgia Representative Winfred Dukes, 150th District, will sit alongside a group of 4-year-olds on Monday, September 30, 2013, from 9am to 10am, reading to the group from a favorite children’s book as part of Georgia’s Pre-K Week. Around the state, attention will be turned to the tens of thousands of Georgia’s youngest children in celebration of the important work they are doing to prepare for school success.
September 30-October 4 is the state’s official Pre-K Week, hosted by Voices for Georgia’s Children (www.georgiavoices.com) and its Pre-K Week partners. Representative Winfred Dukes is one of nearly 150 officials who will visit some of the approximately 3,800 Pre-K classrooms located in all 159 counties in Georgia.
“We know that early childhood education is critical to future success, and preparing for elementary school is an important part of life for a child from birth through age five,” said State Representative Winfred Dukes. “We are thrilled to be honoring our some of our youngest learners this week, and proud of what our state is accomplishing through Georgia’s Pre-K program.”
Representative Dukes will be at the Albany Technical College Child Development Demonstration Center from 9am to 10am on September 30, 2013, at 2031 Newton Road. While there, he will participate in a reading activity with the children, take a tour of the facility, talk with the staff, and get an up-close look at the many ways that the center is supporting early learning.

"Georgia's Pre-K program is an exceptional program that can serve as a model for our country," said Pat Willis, Executive Director of Voices for Georgia's Children, a child advocacy organization. "About 84,000 four-year-olds in Georgia benefit from this remarkable program, a milestone in the critical phase of education that takes place from birth to age eight."
Joining Voices for Georgia’s Children as partners on Georgia Pre-K Week are Black Child Development Institute Atlanta (http://bcdi-atl.org), Ferst Foundation for Childhood Literacy (www.ferstfoundation.org), Georgia Association for Young Children (www.gayconline.org), Georgia Child Care Association (www.georgiachildcare.org), Georgia Early Education Alliance for Ready Students (www.geears.org), Georgia Family Connection Partnership (www.gafcp.org), Georgia Partnership for Excellence in Education (www.gpee.org), Georgia Public LibraryService (www.georgialibraries.org), JumpStart(www.jstart.org), Multiple Junior League Chapters (gajlspac.org), Quality Care for Children (www.qualitycareforchildren.org), United Way of Metropolitan Atlanta (www.unitedwayatlanta.org) and YMCA(www.ymcaatlanta.org).
The Albany Technical College Child Development Demonstration Center is conveniently located at the south entrance of the campus off Newton Road. The Center was established in 1980 as a campus laboratory school for the purpose of providing a training site for Early Childhood Care and Education students at Albany Tech. A new state-of-the art facility was constructed in 2001 and is licensed by Bright from the Start: Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning (DECAL). The program serves infants (two months) to children five years of age (not eligible for kindergarten) and gives first priority for enrollment to Albany Tech students, faculty, staff, and individuals living in the Enterprise Zone.
The Albany Technical College Child Development Demonstration Center is compromised of competent early childhood care and education professionals with profound education and experience who are committed to executing the most effective strategies in guiding young children. Classic and modern methods are united to provide the most appropriate childhood experiences as each child progresses through the various stages of development. The Center is a State of Georgia Center of Distinction – the highest credential available for childcare programs in Georgia, which is awarded by the DECAL Standards of Care Program. Additionally, the center is nationally accredited by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) – the highest credential available for child care programs in the Nation and a widely recognized mark of high quality.
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