Daycare Donations
Service organization 'showers' GRADS Program with supplies

Virigina Chee, a daycare technician at Central High School, plays with 11-month-old Arianna Gantar's hair while 3-month-old Aurora Barton lies quietly on the floor on Monday. The daycare, which serves teen parents that attend the high school, recieved a donation of nursery equipment from Soroptimists International of Gallup to help with its program. [Photo by Brian Leddy/Independent]

By Elizabeth Hardin-Burrola
Staff Writer

GALLUP — Teen parents and their children were the beneficiaries of a local organization's service project this weekend.

Soroptimist International of Gallup, an organization dedicated to helping women and families, donated dozens of new items to Central High School's GRADS Program daycare center. The event was part of Soroptimist International's Annual Day of Service, which is the first Saturday in March.

"Our organization is all about supporting women," said Latrissa Overman, the current Soroptimist president. "We thought this was a really good project to support."

Individual Soroptimist members purchased and donated floor swings, bouncers, a bathtub, and a large supply of blankets, bibs, and other needed baby and toddler supplies. They met at the daycare center on Saturday for a "baby shower," where they donated their gifts, toured the facility, and met the staff and a couple of the teen parents.

Sherri Curtis is the director of the daycare center, and Virginia Chee is the daycare technician who oversees the infant room. According to Curtis, the daycare currently cares for 19 infants and toddlers. The GRADS Program which stands for "Graduation, Reality And Dual-role Skills" is funded through New Mexico's Children Youth and Families Department, Curtis said. The Central High School program is one of 36 GRADS sites in the state, she added.

Although Central High School parents have first priority in enrolling their children, Curtis explained, full-time students at other high schools and UNM-Gallup can apply for a child care subsidy to send their child to Central's daycare.

Most of the children's parents are students at Central High School and most of them are teen mothers; however, two teen fathers are currently enrolled in the GRADS Program, Curtis said.

In addition to providing a licensed, on-site child care center for teen parents, Curtis said, goals of the GRAD Program include identifying, recruiting, and retaining teen parents through high school and developing the teens' parenting skills.

According to Soroptimist members attending Saturday's event, the local organization chose the GRADS Program for its service project as a way of showing support for local teen parents and their children.

"We want to encourage the young ladies to further their education," said member Neta Tuggle.

Angel Johnson, a junior at Central High School, is appreciative of the help she is getting through the program. Johnson said she enrolled her three-month-old daughter, Aurora, in the daycare center about six weeks ago so she could continue her education at Central.

"It helps a lot," said the former Gallup High School student. "I don't have anyone to watch her at home."

Soroptimist International of Gallup sponsors a number of service projects benefiting local women and families throughout the year. The organization also meets twice a month for luncheon meetings. For more information about Soroptimist, contact Idajean Mangum at (505) 879-3478.