Orangeburg County First Steps Helps Families Through Parents as Teachers: Namrata’s and Veer’s Story

A few years ago, Namrata Dave moved to Orangeburg from Allendale in search of better economic opportunities and a stronger sense of community for herself and her son, Veer. Then, she discovered the valuable resources Orangeburg County First Steps provided.

Namrata joined a free home-visiting program, Parents as Teachers, offered by Orangeburg County First Steps. The program provides families with a dedicated parent educator to help their children learn and develop. With the help of her parent educator, Ms. Sheree, Namrata found valuable resources to support Veer’s reading progress. Ms. Sheree provided books for Veer to read, educational materials for Namrata to use at home, and even a 44-piece bunny puzzle to enjoy with Veer.

According to Ms. Dave, Veer has made significant progress in his preschool reading fluency. He enthusiastically reads passages from his favorite books, reflecting his positive attitude. Ms. Dave also noted that Veer has become more confident since engaging with Orangeburg County First Steps staff and activities. It’s worth mentioning that English is not Veer’s primary language, making his success even more impressive. Namrata, Veer’s mother, expressed her gratitude for the Parents as Teachers Program, which recognizes parents as the primary teachers of their children. Ms. Dave believes that parents are the most influential teachers for a child, a philosophy that she embodies.

Veer has gotten significant knowledge from the Child Development Learning Center and is all set to join the Felton Laboratory School at South Carolina State University Center in the upcoming fall. Namrata expresses her gratitude towards the tools she has received and feels more confident in her ability to support her son. She highly recommends Orangeburg County First Steps’ services to other families who may receive help from them.