Region Stories

These stories illustrate how early childhood programs and services funded by First Things First make a difference for young children and families in communities across Arizona.

Mesa Quality First center helps Gilbert girl improve communication skills

July 22, 2025
Quality First East Maricopa Southeast Maricopa Quality First Scholarships

Because of a Quality First Scholarship, Amaya is learning, while her mother is able to work for a local HVAC business. Read More

High quality preschool environment brings out the best in Goodyear girl

8/4/2017
Quality First

Zoe Mullins was only 4 years old when she began beating her father at chess.“It’s not that her dad is a bad player, but that Zoe is just that good,”…

Nogales mother learns how to prepare her daughter for kindergarten

8/4/2017
family support

Yesenia’s baby daughter Melanie was only 18 days old when her mother enrolled in the Healthy Families Arizona program in Nogales.She was already a mom to…

Nogales kindergartner finds success at family resource center

8/4/2017
Santa Cruz

It was a random visit to a neighborhood park where Jessica Fierro first learned about the Nogales Family Resource Center.A conversation with another parent…

Pinal brothers use Fun Van to prepare for kindergarten

8/4/2017
school readiness

Eli Macias was a quiet 3 year old from Casa Grande when he started participating in the First Things First-funded mobile literacy program called Fun Van. Soon,…

Parents As Teachers shows Cochise County mom how to teach son independence

8/4/2017
family support

First-time mom Athena Reynolds was looking for a support system.“I was clueless,” Reynolds said, thinking back to when her son Alexander was born. “I…

Oro Valley family builds confidence in role as their child’s first teacher

8/4/2017
home visitation

Angie Hitt had been an elementary school teacher for eight years before she had her first child. She enrolled in the Parents as Teachers home visiting…

Family resource center empowers Phoenix boy to find independence

8/4/2017
family support

Felicitas Padron of Phoenix assumed that her children’s learning started with their kindergarten teacher. The mother of three learned otherwise at the…

Resource center helps Phoenix mother prepare her daughter socially and academically for school

8/3/2017
family support

On most days, Gaby Acosta refills the snack machines throughout various schools in the Washington Elementary School District in Phoenix as part of her…

Support for Holbrook grandparents raising grandchildren

8/3/2017
tribal

Cathy Grant’s grandson had a rough start in life.When he and his younger sister came to live with Grant, Jacob was almost 4. Yet, he had speech delays and…

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