Ready by Five is a transformational investment project in the future academic success of some of Yakima's youngest.

Formed as a partnership of community members and public and private funds, Ready by Five is designed to develop new opportunities and strengthen existing learning efforts for children from birth to age 5. The goal of the project is to surround children wherever they are with high quality early learning environments so they arrive at kindergarten school-ready! In support of this goal, the project will create sustainable, integrated, and accessible model programs for early child development and family support services for the residents of east Yakima.

Ready by Five is one of two early learning demonstration communities in the state being primarily funded by Thrive By Five Washington and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. (The other early learning demonstration community is in White Center.) The two foundations provided an initial grant of nearly $1.2 million in December 2006 to fund the planning for the local upcoming project. The foundations announced an additional $5 million grant in May of 2008 to begin the first phase of services and for the design of a model early learning center in the area.

Yakima's demonstration community is being built on the following framework provided by the funders:
• Parents are the primary teachers of young children.
• Programs must be culturally appropriate to the communities in which they operate.
• The project is expected to reach the majority of children age 5 and under in the demonstration community.
• Rigorously evaluated proven practices must be used.
• Collaboration with parents and community partners is integral to the process.
• The EYELI project will create one model child care center (a "hub") that serves the entire target community.

The Yakima area was selected by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation during the summer of 2006 to serve as the eastern Washington location of the early learning demonstration community. Local community partners chose ESD 105 in August 2006 as the project's intermediary to serve as the lead agency in seeking funds and organizing the planning process. In May 2008, the project's offices moved to 501 W. Lincoln, Suite C, in Yakima.

Find out more at this project's Frequently Asked Questions page.

Staff members serving this project:

	Helen Marieskind Executive Director (509) 454-2492 helenm@readybyfive.org
	Angela Abrams Early Learning Quality Improvement Coordinator (509) 853-2053 angelaa@readybyfive.org
	Stacey Drake Children's Program Director (509) 573-2871 drake.stacey@yakimaschools.org
	Elizabeth Gonzalez Administrative Secretary (509) 454-2493 elizabethg@readybyfive.org
	Cynthia Juarez Early Learning Professional Development Director (509) 454-2488 cynthiaj@readybyfive.org
	Elsa Lopez Administrative Secretary (509) 853-2052 elsal@readybyfive.org
	Joe Payne Fiscal Manager (509) 853-2041 joep@readybyfive.org
	Mary Lou Shefsky Data Administrator (509) 853-2042 marylous@readybyfive.org
	Eve Valdivia Parent Ombudsman (509) 853-2043 evev@readybyfive.org

EYELI Board members

Project Work Groups

Project Community Stakeholders
Stakeholders are businesses and organizations that: attended the community partners meeting of Aug. 31, 2006; submitted a vote for the EYELI intermediary; and submitted a letter of support for the EYELI intermediary to the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.