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Hartford Parents Graduate From Empowerment Program

CRT Early Education Sponsors PEP Program

Hartford News

May 15, 2008

Four Hartford parents graduated on May 6, 2008 from a parent empowerment training that stressed self-awareness, communication and effective problem solving. The ten-week course, underwritten by the Children’s Trust Fund of Connecticut, was offered to parents whose children are enrolled in CRT’s Early Care and Education Program.

The course uses the People Empowering People curriculum, which was developed at the University of Connecticut. “I’m already using some of what we’ve learned here,” said Iris Claudio, who is president of the Parents Committee at CRT’s Douglas Street Preschool Center. She explained that the parents’ committee is working with the Mayor’s Office of Constituent Services and the Police Department’s Traffic Division to slow the traffic on Douglas Street.

“Our playground is across the street from the school,” Ms. Claudio said. “Children have to cross the street with their teachers. Some of the children have severe disabilities and they don’t move quickly. We need to have a way to slow down the traffic!” Her group has collected signatures on a petition, presented the petition to the mayor’s office, and considered the options available to address the problem.

Teri Morrison, the president of CRT’s Early Childhood Policy Council, was the final speaker at the graduation. She told the group that she had taken a session of PEP more than eight years earlier, and was still thankful for what she had learned. “This is not the end, this is the beginning,” she said. “I see great things in your future. We expect that you will be working in this community for a long time to come!”

CRT has another PEP program, which is currently running at the Hartford Grandfamily Housing Development, 35 Clark St. For more information or to enroll in future sessions of parent empowerment training, please call 560-5689. Training, educational materials, meals and child care are provided free.