By: Anastasia Scarborough | Eufaula Tribune
Published: April 01, 2009 Updated: April 01, 2009 – 2:27 PM
Three-year-old Ladarrius Coleman would hardly pick up a crayon before he, his brother Eric and his mother and grandmother started participating in the HIPPY program.
Now, Ladarrius seems outgoing and bright, coloring happily as he’s perched on the lap of Ann Smith, his family’s “parent provider”.
“Ladarrius has improved tremendously,” says Ann. “When I first started coming here, he wouldn’t pick up a crayon. Now, he has better motor skills, better social skills.”
As a parent provider, or “educator”, in the HIPPY program, Ann coaches Ladarrius’ mom, Tiffney, and grandmother, Shirley, on fun and interesting techniques to help Ladarrius and Eric learn skills that will prepare them for school and adult life.
Ann visits the Coleman home in Chattahoochee Courts twice a month. With her she brings educational activities for Ladarrius and Eric. But first, she coaches Tiffney and Shirley on how to teach these activities to the boys through “role-playing”.
Read more on the HIPPY program in the weekend edition of The Tribune avaliable April 3.
hippy_program_helping_kids_parents.jpg (27 KB)
Grandmother Shirley Coleman and parent "educator" Ann Smith assist 3-year-old Ladarrius Coleman.
