The Greeneville Sun
Press release September 4, 2004
Donna Blevins, founder of Be Smart Kids Learning System, a Greeneville-based computer-aided learning process, recently met at the White House with members of President George W. Bush’s education team.
Blevins was invited to meet with President Bush’s chief domestic policy advisors to report on the effectiveness of Be Smart Kids in assisting young children in acquiring basic academic competence necessary for success in school.
Be Smart Kids Learning System currently licenses the use of the system and trains teachers for on-site learning centers at day-care facilities, preschools, Head Start programs and elementary schools. President Bush and First Lady Laura Bush have been supportive of early-learning programs focused on preempting academic failure in public schools.
Their efforts have put new emphasis on Head Start and early-learning academic initiatives.
David Dunn, a special assistant to President Bush, hosted the White House meeting with Blevins. Dunn, a Texas native who worked with the Texas School Board Association prior to serving at the White House, has been active in facilitating the implementation of the federal “No Child Left Behind Act.”
Meets Various Officials
While in Washington, Blevins also met with staff members of congressional education committees, officials in the U.S. Department of Hearth and Human Services, and with others.
Blevins has said the Be Smart Kids Process is designed to stimulate a child’s brain during his or her early years when the “windows of opportunity” for learning are most open. At the White House, Blevins presented the results of more than 10 years of her research. She presented Be Smart Kids’ methodology, which is predicated on an understanding of how a child learns and the role of rain stimulation in the early years of life.
Blevins said she was particularly encouraged by the feedback received from federal officials. One wrote, “The children with whom you work are very fortunate to have someone so dedicated and passionate.”
Blevins has said the Be Smart Kids Methodology “takes a child only 30 minutes a week and builds the skills necessary for every ordinary child to enter school reading, adding and subtracting.”
She has added, “The program develops a thirst for knowledge and a love of learning.
“In addition, the program helps children with disabilities and limited English language skills.
The implication of the product has demonstrated dramatic results in maximized learning for children ages one to five, as well as older children requiring remedial support.”
Be Smart Kids lessons usually are taught once or twice weekly depending on the child’s age and academic level, for a 30-minute period. The program is presented for a two-to three-year period.