"Judy Centers" Will Help Prepare Young Kids For Kindergarten

BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- A group of Maryland educators had an idea: what if new parents could begin to prepare their family for kindergarten?

Mike Schuh reports that their successful effort is greatly expanding.

The idea is, if you get kids and their families ready to learn, they'll do better by the time they get to kindergarten and for years to come. It's called the Judy Centers and it's in a handful of Baltimore elementary schools.

"You see that the kids and the parents are having more of an investment," said Crystal Harris.

Monday, some of Baltimore's heavy-hitters, foundations and individuals were thanked for donating $6 million to triple the number of Judy Centers in Baltimore.

Cierra Watkins is happy to talk about her child's success.

"My daughter just got five awards at her awards ceremony and I thought it couldn't have been there without the Judy Centers," Watkins said.

She knows it's not just the kids who need help---it's the parents, too.

"We have to prepare the families that once the baby is born that you are your child's first teacher," said Harris.

The Judy in Judy Center is Congressman Steny Hoyer's late wife, Judy. He sums up the goals in the words of Frederick Douglass.

"He said it is easier to build strong children than it is to repair broken men," Hoyer said.

There are 52 "Judy Centers" across the state and within a year, there will be 13 in Baltimore City.