Millburn Students Raise Funds For PreSchool Advantage

MILLBURN, NJ - Millburn Middle School 8th graders in Mary D’Alessio’s and Melissa Pedreiras’s English classes used what they learned about Education, Empathy and Enlightenment through literature to raise funds for Morristown-based PreSchool Advantage.

After reading John Steinbeck’s “Of Mice and Men,” the classes were challenged to give voice to a segment of society that is often overlooked or disadvantaged, much like those in the novel.

The PreSchool Advantage organization provides preschool opportunities for children who would otherwise be unable to achieve this valuable head start academically. They partner with more than 20 New Jersey preschools to support tuition for students who would otherwise never attend an early education program. For the 2018-2019 school year they are funding tuitions for 85 children to one of 23 carefully selected partner preschools in Morris and Somerset Counties. Research proves that after one year of preschool a child's performance is dramatically increased and he or she is more likely to perform at or above grade level.

The students raised $3,500 through donations which they presented to Preschool Advantage Executive Director, Molly Dunn.

Learn more about PreSchool Advantage’s mission, volunteer opportunities and ways to donate and support this organization here.

(Photo courtesy of the Millburn School District)

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