SCI's mission is to improve the quality of life for all people in the diverse communities we serve. 

We do this by building brains, building jobs, and building community.

The focus of SCI's Early Brain Development programming is to make our community America’s First Early Learning City.

Early brain development is key to the foundation of a child’s readiness for school, and ultimately for that child's success in school and life. Research tells us 85% of the human brain is built in the first 3 years of life; 90-95 percent is built by age 5. Making the most of that time is crucial for every child, but it is especially important in Escambia County, which state education data indicates only 48 percent of our children are ready for kindergarten. 

Our work to build an Early Learning City is informed by research-backed strategies to help parents understand why it is important to talk and interact more with their children, and how that is the key to building a brain, building a life, and building a community. 

Your gift stays local. 

Every dollar stays in Pensacola to support our children in three key areas: 

1. Brain development education for Escambia and Santa Rosa county mothers within 48 hours of childbirth. 
2. Parent and family outreach and education to help children living within our county’s pockets of poverty. 
3. Supporting partnerships with the University of Chicago, Harvard University and other partners to bring research-backed interventions to our community. 

SCI's Work

Since 2017, SCI has been working to change the trajectory of children in Escambia County.

• The Brain Bag is our signature program. It includes a video lesson based on our research partnership with the University of Chicago’s TMW Center for Early Learning and Public Health. That research shows a video lesson can help moms learn important information about how talking, reading, singing, and playing from the beginning days of an infant’s life, can lay the foundation for healthy brain development and set a path for school readiness and a bright future. It also include Basics Insights, weekly text messages to keep parents engaged in brain-building until their baby turns 3.

•  Parent Outreach. Our partnership with Area Housing Commission to host weekly parenting classes in some of the pockets of greatest need in our community. Since we began, 240 parents, grandparents, and family members have attended our sessions at Attucks and Moreno courts, getting valuable information and coaching about why reading, talking, singing and playing every day from the very beginning of a child’s life is important to giving that child a good chance for a great start in school.

•  The Basics Pensacola. SCI is a local affiliate of the Boston Basics Network founded at the Achievement Gap Initiative at Harvard University. The Basics Pensacola are five, fun, and simple ways that every family can benefit children from all backgrounds. It includes video lessons, text messaging, and curriculum designed to teach parents, grandparents, and caregivers these five basic concepts and how to implement them. 

•  Sibling Brain Builders: In partnership with local schools serving at-risk communities, SCI has enlisted older siblings to help younger siblings and students by reading together. Early results show it is boosting reading fluency for the older siblings and exposing younger children to much-needed focused reading and interaction time.

Why is all of this focus on early years learning important? 

School readiness has a huge influence on school completion rates — and that is something that matters a great deal to a person’s future job earnings.

Data from the U.S. Census Bureau shows that a high school dropout earns an average of $21,023, compared to $31,283 for a high school graduate, and $58,613 for someone with a bachelor’s degree.

If we want a community that is prosperous and vital, we need to invest in our children to ensure they have the best foundation possible — for school and life.

PRESENTING SPONSOR

Builder Sponsors

The Hive

Chris Janes

Framer Sponsors 

Baptist Healthcare

Cox Communications

Morette Company

Pensacola Beach RV Park

Planner Sponsors

Area Housing Commission

Bear General Contractors

Beck Partners

Clark Partington

Edward Jones John Peacock

Florida Power and Light

Highpointe Hotels Corp.

Kuhn Realty

Navy Federal Credit Union

Outerspaces Landscapes

Torgersen Causey Benefits Group

West Florida Hospital

FRIENDS of Light Up Learning

Hanto&Clarke

Red Iron Design

Lisa and Tommi Lyter

Andrew Rothfeder

Elisa Whibbs

Michelle Saltzman/Salz Studio

Sabrina Simpson

Jeff Brooks

Carver Darden

Pensacola Kids Dentistry

Rachael Whibbs

Woodlands