Thirteen students from many different countries completed 120 hours of child development instruction, and were invited to a celebration hosted by Georgia Piedmont Technical College and CDF Action, program partners who, with residents, designed this unique instructional program leading to a national Child Development Associate (CDA) credential.
The program included simultaneous translation in Arabic for the Arabic speaking participants as well as coaching and individualized support for each student. Dr. Jabari Sumama, President of GPTC, congratulated the students for this achievement and encouraged them to continue their education. Students shared their appreciation and their excitement about how much they learned during these sessions as well as how much they learned about each others culture.
Next steps? The student will study for their CDA exam, which they will take after the first of the year. Many are already working in early learning programs and several are volunteering in Clarkston early learning programs. Their goal? To obtain a position as a teacher in a child care center or other early learning program that serves Clarkston children and their families.