Student Success Story: Tara Jackson

My experience with Fred Moore Day Nursery Preschool began when I took one of my Child Development courses here at TWU and I learned about how with several of those courses, I would need between 15-75 hours of observing 2-9 years olds. However, since I have a passion for working and serving early childhood, I chose the babies and preschoolers. Fred Moore is a non-profit organization childcare center, serving children ages 6 weeks through 5 years old through the school year, and up to 8 years old in the summer. Their Organization addresses the needs of low-income individuals, by providing access to early childhood education on a sliding scale tuition schedule, based on household size and income. Also, the unique pricing scale allows them to offer deeply discounted rates for high quality childcare. FMDNS is a 4-star certified center through Texas Rising Star. Where they provide a curriculum-based program, in a safe, nurturing environment for children allowing parents & caregivers to attain higher education or contribute to the workforce full time. One of their goals that touch my heart is they aim to decrease the school readiness gap for low income and at-risk youth.
For my practicum/internship experience though I received the opportunity to be supervised and mentored by one of the staff managers there and followed her lead to learn more ways it takes to manage her duties and things that are developed in a Childcare center. During a pandemic it has been such a difficult challenge for the staff and people who take the time to volunteer, float, and help out in any way they can. Because of short staff, they do have site needs that can be supported with the kind of audience they serve and I also got the chance to assist the Director of Education with curriculum development & lesson planning for one of their 2’s classrooms. Finally, with their site needs for a semester long project I needed for my practicum course this fall, I created a way to build a donation drive and come up with a proposal for sponsors to obtain certain supplies for them while they are in a pandemic which are materials such as, cleaning products, diapers, and school items. In addition, they needed someone to perform community outreach to continue to advertise and promote what they do weekly through social media sites using Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, or many others.
I do want to thank the Urban Fellows Program for allowing students like me who do not have quality opportunities to get hands-on experiences for their degree, to apply the knowledge and skills needed to learn more on their future professions, and what fields they would like to go into to serve families and people. Just humanness! Having the opportunity to complete an internship with my practicum, I also was able to receive a $1,000 Scholarship to assist me with my Fall senior semester and graduation needs.
I am so Blessed and I cannot wait to graduate and look back to see how many other fellow students are boldly going and doing great things because of people like Brooklyn Bush and the Career Connection Center, here at Texas Woman’s University. I will miss you, and once again thank you so much for all you do.
Tara Jackson
By Brookelyn Bush, M.Ed
Brookelyn Bush, M.Ed Associate Director, Employer Relations