RPC Awarded Grant by Randolph Arts Guild

ASHEBORO — Randolph Partnership for Children (RPC) was awarded a $3,000 grant by the Randolph Arts Guild to support early childhood educator training and children’s activities in preparation of Week of the Young Child’s 2023 Art Explosion.  

“The Randolph Partnership for Children is honored to be the recipient of the Grassroots Grant for the second year in a row! We are so thankful for the opportunity to bring in three Master Artists who can share their Language of Art with our early educators, children, and families in Randolph County, “Early Childhood Specialist Kristy Umfleet said.  “Art can unleash creativity and be healing when children have big feelings. It boosts their confidence and is beneficial to their mental health.”

Funds from this grant will be used to provide training by master teachers to local early childhood educators on how to incorporate mixed media materials into art activities with young children. Additionally, children from local centers who have applied and been approved will have the opportunity to go on a field trip to enjoy getting to create mixed media art in child-focused art environment.  

The training and children’s activity will take place in February to lead up to Art Explosion during the Week of the Young Child, April 1-7. 

Week of the Young Child was first established by the National Association of Educators of Young Children in 1971 and the purpose is to focus attention on the needs of young children and their families and to recognize the early childhood programs and services that meet those needs. For many years, one of the ways RCP has celebrated the week through Art Explosion collecting, preparing and displaying the artwork of local children in the shop windows of downtown Asheboro.  

“During the Week of the Young Child, we celebrate our early childhood educators who teach, nurture and support our children,” said Governor Roy Cooper, during Week of the Young Child 2022. “Child care and early learning programs lay the foundation for future success.”

Research shows that art is an important outlet for children to build and strengthen skills needed for their future. As small hands manipulate crayons, chalk and paintbrushes, they are learning the fine motor control needed for writing and daily self-care tasks. When children make a mental plan on what to create, they are practicing critical thinking. 

Math skills also benefit from art as the little artists begin to understand the concepts of size, shape and making comparisons. Finally, as they describe their art to you, the children are practicing communication and building their vocabulary.

Funding for the grant was provided by the N. C. Arts Council’s Grassroots Arts Grant program which provides per capita-based funding for arts programming to all North Carolina counties to ensure opportunities for citizens to experience the arts in their own communities. The funding is matched with funding from RPC.