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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.

Honoring Carolyn Haro

Carolyn Mawson Haro, of Globe, passed away on July 24, 2025, in Tucson, after living with cancer. Fittingly born on Independence Day, Carolyn was known for her spirited personality and was often described as a firecracker.She was a… Read More

Scholarships help young kids access early education

  • Quality First

​​​Balancing parenthood with higher education can sometimes be overwhelming, especially if young parents are far from home. Jessica moved to Tempe from…
young brother and sister

The most important job: Dad

  • Navajo Nation

Duane works two jobs to provide for his family. But, he says his most important job is being a single father to Anaya, 4, and Myles, 6. And that includes…
First Things First Logo

Infants, parents take healthy steps together

  • parenting education

Healthy Steps Newborn Behavioral Observation (NBO) is a free program funded by First Things First and offered through Summit Regional Medical Center in Show…
boy-and-baby

Supporting teenage parents as their child’s first teachers

  • parenting education

Sienna knew she needed a lot more than a book when it came to knowing what to expect when she and her boyfriend found themselves expecting their first child.…
girl-with-crayons

Early literacy programs prepare Safford kindergartener for success

  • language & literacy

Stacy Broman-McAdams was new to the Safford community when she first saw an ad for Toddler Story Time at the Safford Library.​Broman-McAdams, an experienced…
mom-teaching-toddler

Toddler blossoms through early learning scholarship

  • Quality First

Chandler mom Torre Valentine is a big proponent of quality early childhood education. “It helps to set a foundation for how (a child’s) future is going to…
messy-girl-painting

Parents as Teachers helps Yuma child find her words

  • parenting education

Abigail Rauso and her husband Michael were troubled when their baby Hannah was a little over a year old and not speaking words.The child would communicate in…
family-in-park

Parent mentoring builds strong, healthy families for a strong society

  • family support

When Rosa is asked about what she has learned from the Healthy Families program, the mother of three responds, “What haven’t I learned?”Healthy Families…
mom-with-children

Parents as Teachers helps Gilbert couple teach fragile son

  • school readiness

For Scott and Pat Hall of Gilbert, their adopted son Ethan was a miracle. Born seven weeks early and weighing only 4 pounds, the medical crises with the baby…

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