SCAN's Snapshots of Hope
Amira Ebied & Christina Mark
Playgroup Parent Leaders
Part of the SCAN Family since 2004 and 2006
One found it through a trusted friend; the other through a search on Google, but both Amira Ebied and Christina Mark found far more than they could have ever imagined in SCAN’s weekly developmental playgroup---Learn, Play & Grow Together.
Amira Ebied first started attending SCAN’s playgroup in 2004 with her daughter after a fellow parent told her about the group. At that time, SCAN’s playgroup was held at Washington House, a non-profit retirement home located in the West End of Alexandria.
In 2006, while in search of a place where she could take her daughter to play and socialize with other children, Christina Mark googled the words “playgroup” and “Alexandria, VA." She didn’t have to search for long. SCAN’s playgroup was the first one to pop up. Initially, Christina began taking her daughter to the playgroup to provide her with a safe, fun place to play and interact with other children. However, when she got to know the playgroup leaders and the other parents, the group became special. She realized the significance of the playgroup not just for her daughter, but for her as a parent.
SCAN first began offering playgroups in 2001 after being approached by the local United Way, who was looking for a way to promote Success by 6®--a national United Way initiative to prepare children in holistic ways so that they enter school ready to learn and be successful--in targeted areas of Northern Virginia. SCAN brought collaborative partners Healthy Families and Hispanic Committee of Virginia together to begin offering developmental playgroups that emphasize the power of play in promoting healthy childhood development while providing parent education and case management services to enhance parents’ ability to nurture their children. The success of this collaboration and playgroup model made it possible for SCAN to leverage funds from The Women’s Giving Circle of Alexandria in 2005 to offer a second playgroup called Chiquitos. The weekly Chiquitos playgroup has served Spanish-speaking families in the Arlandria community and beyond for the past three years.
In 2007, Play, Learn & Grow Together relocated from Washington House to the newly opened Center for Alexandria’s Children. That spring, it became increasingly difficult for the collaboration to stay intact as funding for the playgroup had decreased over time. As a result SCAN’s partners were no longer able to continue their critical involvement in the group. SCAN’s Parent Education team decided to commit itself to finding a way for the playgroup to continue to serve the families that had come to rely on it from week to week. SCAN’s Parent Education Coordinator, Shannon May, consulted with the collaboration partners and a decision was made to approach identified parents whose leadership potential could be put to use in leading the group each week.
It wasn’t long before Amira and Christina both volunteered for the job of co-leading the group. With their backgrounds in elementary education, Amira and Christina understood the positive influence of play for young children and the social and emotional needs that must be met long before they ever enter school in order to be successful in the learning environment.
What’s more, SCAN’s emerging co-leaders knew first-hand how much they and their young children had benefited from the playgroup and felt strongly that it needed to continue for other families. Amira explains, “I first started bringing my daughter to the playgroup. She is now four and attends preschool. Now I bring my son who is two and a half years old. I have been bringing him to group since he was an infant. It was a very special moment for me when he first started singing the songs at circle time. He usually has a big smile on his face and thoroughly enjoys each aspect of the group. He likes structure and predictability, and that's vital for all children. Both of my children are very social…they relate well with other children. I feel that playgroups such as the ones sponsored by SCAN have helped them gain these skills. Also, they have helped me tremendously as a source of ideas, and support for me as a parent.”
An essential benefit of the playgroup is also its diversity. Christina adds that, “The playgroup is a place where children can soak in an abundance of social skills, and at the same time be exposed to diversity at an early point in their lives. My two children have been exposed to different cultures up-close through SCAN. Without SCAN, they might not have gotten the exposure until much later in life.”
These benefits and so much more are the fuel that continues to re-energize the important work that SCAN is able to do through the proficient leadership, dedication, and inspiring creativity of Amira and Christina for the Play, Learn & Grow Together Playgroup. “Participating families not only see, but feel the benefits of attending... they tell other parents and the news spreads fast,” says Amira. As a result, they continue to welcome many new parents and children each week with open arms.
