Budding Scientists Ready for School

A $3.8 million grant from the U. S. Department of Education to the University's Warner School of Education will establish a national preschool Center of Excellence in Rochester's Catholic schools.

The project builds on the Science- Start! program, which uses science to develop children's language, literacy, and school readiness.

"ScienceStart! is a natural immersion into the world of science-our world- without the fear that's occasionally associated with science," says Kathy Dougherty, principal at Cathedral School at Holy Rosary.

Some 1,700 Rochester children have participated in ScienceStart!, and 1,800 families have taken part in the family literacy component of the program. ScienceStart! has also provided more than $500,000 in books, supplies, and equipment to Rochester-area preschools/