EH Family Resource Center Wins Second Prize in National Contest

The East Haven Family Resource Center at DC Moore School in East Haven is the Second Prize Winner of the Pre-K - K category of the 3rd Annual Mutt-i-grees “America Adopts” Contest.   

As a Second Prize Winner, the school will receive a $1,500 educational grant for their PSA “Our Plea To Be Free.”     

What is the contest all about?

The Public Service Announcement (PSA) Contest is a nationwide initiative to raise awareness of the availability and desirability of shelter pets, otherwise known as Mutt-i-grees.  

Students from across the country submitted creative PSAs encouraging Americans to adopt from their local shelter or rescue group.  The contest reflects the essence of the Mutt-i-grees Curriculum, a unique approach to teaching children social and emotional skills as well as highlighting the individual characteristics and needs of Mutt-i-grees.  The Curriculum was developed by Yale University School of the 21st Century in collaboration with North Shore Animal League America and funded by the Cesar Millan Foundation. 

Scooby-Do is here!

This year, students incorporated Scooby-Doo into their PSA entries as it was proudly announced to the world last year that “Scooby-Doo is a Mutt-i-gree® too!”  

The winners include staff members Gayle Turcio-Cater, Mary Varunes, Taylor Auger, Jennifer O’ Dwyer and a group of four year old Pre-K students from The Family Resource Center in East Haven.

Their message or PSA:

The students’ PSA mirrored the Curriculum’s core values: fostering empathy, compassion, and responsible decision-making.  In their video, students take the perspective of adoptable animals that are waiting to find loving, permanent homes and families.  

“Adopt me please, rescue me… to be set free” they sing.   Their message is clear.  “So, give us a home, so we aren’t alone…and in the end, I’ll be your best friend.”

How the school will benefit from the grant money:

The school plans to use the $1,500 grant for purchasing more resources to expand the Mutt-i-grees Curriculum to other grades within the school.  They plan to roll out the Curriculum to additional Pre-K – 2nd grade classrooms and to also utilize it in their summer program and play groups.  They also plan to donate a portion of their winnings to the East Haven Animal Shelter to support them in their animal rescue efforts. 

The contest was open to all accredited schools that teach children in Pre-K – 12th grades.  The PSAs were judged by a panel of experts from Animal League America, Publishers Clearing House, Warner Bros. Consumer Products and The Cesar Millan Foundation.  Entries were based on originality, creativity and persuasiveness. The PSA Contest is a nationwide initiative and collaboration of North Shore Animal League America, the Yale University School of the 21st Century and the Cesar Millan Foundation. 

To learn more about the Mutt-i-grees Curriculum or to view all of the winning PSAs visit http://education.muttigrees.org/. 

About the Family Resource Center: 

East Haven Family Resource Center was created to provide support to families and is based on the philosophy that a parent is a child’s first and best teacher. East Haven Family Resource Center School Readiness Preschool Program is an extension of this philosophy and is committed to providing high-quality preschool experience that enhances the overall development of the child and supports the family unit. Our goal is to work in partnership with each family to focus on a child’s individual needs. Children are placed a in a safe, enriched, child-centered environment that provides them the opportunity to explore,  create, and grow under the supervision of highly-qualified , nurturing staff. The program activities are based on the guidelines for developmentally-appropriate practice published by the National Association for the Education of Young Children and the Connecticut Preschool curriculum and assessment frameworks that are used as the basis for planning.