David Barko has been selected as the 2021 First Things First Yavapai Champion for Young Children.<\/p>\n
The award is given to local champions who actively devote their time to raise public awareness of the importance of early childhood development and health. Champions spend a significant amount of time volunteering with FTF and building public awareness about the importance of early childhood issues.<\/p>\n
Barko is the director of the Family Resource Center at Dignity Health \u2013 Yavapai Regional Medical Center (YRMC) in Prescott Valley. He has advocated for early childhood in numerous ways, including serving on multiple community collaboration groups.\u00a0 He has been a critical voice in moving the prenatal care team for woman with substance abuse issues forward across many barriers.\u00a0 He has allowed FTF to quote him about the importance of early childhood to use in community presentations and was a key participant in planning and presenting the April 2021 FTF virtual event, which highlighted home visitation programs.<\/p>\n
\nWe recently caught up with Barko.<\/p>\n
Question: Why do you feel early childhood development and health is important? <\/strong><\/p>\n Answer<\/strong>: \u00a0As FTF and other organizations work to communicate, we know from decades of research and studies that the first five years of life are the single greatest amount of brain growth and development.\u00a0 It\u2019s the time when so much of a person\u2019s neurological and emotional foundations are literally being formed.\u00a0 Children are, in every definition, filled with potential.\u00a0<\/p>\n Nelson Mandela summed it well when he said,\u00a0\u201c<\/strong>The true character of a society is revealed in how it treats its children.\u201d\u00a0 As a society, I don\u2019t see how we could ethically not<\/em> support our children as best as we can.\u00a0 They represent some of our most vulnerable populations.\u00a0 Our children are the ones who will be operating every aspect of our communities and country in the future, from our teachers to our physicians to policymakers.\u00a0 The healthier our children are, the healthier our nation will become.<\/p>\n Question: How do you suggest other people in your community get involved? <\/strong><\/p>\n Answer<\/strong>: \u00a0There are so many ways to help, directly and indirectly, that I would recommend to start with your passions, skills and experience.\u00a0 If you want to try to affect change at a larger, macro level, you could talk to organizations about joining a committee or advisory council (like the Family Resource Center at YRMC, First Things First, Prevent Child Abuse Arizona, Arizona Children\u2019s Association, just to name a few).\u00a0 If you\u2019re handy with tools, there\u2019s many schools and child care facilities who I\u2019m sure would welcome some help putting up a sunshade or assembling\/repairing equipment in their playground.\u00a0 If someone wanted more individualized direction, they could call virtually any organization involved with children, talk with someone and explore the possibilities.\u00a0 My final two cents of ways to get involved is to always keep learning.\u00a0 Read the latest books about early child development, emotional development, different ways to parenting and interacting with children impact their growth.\u00a0 Like other fields, we are constantly learning more about child development.\u00a0 The more informed we are, the better we can support our children.\u00a0<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"