Rebekah Andrews drives nearly an hour every morning to get her youngest daughter, ZaMarii, to school. The commute is long, but she said it’s worth it for the quality education ZaMarii receives. 

With the support of First Steps 4K, ZaMarii attends free, full-day preschool at Small Impressions, an A-rated early learning center in Greenville County. 

Because ZaMarii was born during the COVID-19 pandemic and stayed home until age three, she had limited opportunities to socialize. Enrolling her in preschool was a big step towards socialization and connecting with others. “Since she’s been at Small Impressions, I’ve seen her grow from being very antisocial to becoming more social. She went from barely talking to people to talking to everyone she meets.” 

Since starting First Steps 4K, ZaMarii has come out of her shell. Her mother describes her as playful, imaginative, and eager to be with her peers. “She loves pretend play and dressing up and playing with her friends. The friendships she has developed in this classroom have really helped her open up and express herself,” she said. 

ZaMarii’s growth has also helped her learn to understand and name her emotions. She has become comfortable advocating for herself and speaking up when something doesn’t feel right. “If she doesn’t want to do something, she’ll say, ‘I don’t like that,’ or ‘That doesn’t make me happy.’ She can speak up for herself now, and I’ve seen her confidence grow,” Rebekah shared. 

This new emotional awareness shows up at home as well. Rebekah recalled a moment when her daughters were arguing. “Instead of crying or pouting like most 4-year-olds, ZaMarii said, ‘Zelia, you’re making me frustrated.’ I paused and said, ‘Did you just say frustrated?’ and she repeated, ‘She’s making me very frustrated right now, Mom.’ I knew right away she learned that from First Steps. It was a big moment because she was expressing her emotions in a bigger way.” 

Rebekah credits the consistency between home and school for her daughter’s progress. She sees how the classroom nurtures curiosity and critical thinking, and she has adopted the same approach at home. She creates play stations, encourages her daughter to communicate her feelings, and reads with her every night. “Every night we read together, and I ask her, ‘What do you think will happen next?’ She loves looking at the pictures and guessing what will be on the next page,” she said. 

The First Steps 4K experience has created opportunities for the entire family. Through the First Steps 4K + Sibling Scholarship both ZaMarii and her older sister, Zelia, receive extended after-school care, which allows Rebekah to work and continue pursuing her associate degree in dental science on her path to becoming a hygienist.  

“Without childcare, I wouldn’t be able to work. Having the extended after-school care piece makes a big impact on me because it allows me to keep pursuing my professional goals so I can be more financially stable for my kids,” Rebekah said. 

Childcare, she said, has always been the barrier standing between her goals and reality, but with the First Steps 4K+ Siblings scholarships, she can rest assured that both her daughters are getting the quality education that they deserve. “Childcare is very expensive, especially when you want quality care. First Steps sets a standard for childcare, and that matters for parents who can’t afford the most expensive centers,” she said. 

Looking across both of her daughters’ experiences, she sees a shared outcome: their love for school. Her oldest daughter also went through First Steps, and both girls developed a sense of confidence, structure, and a love for learning. “Because of this scholarship, ZaMarii now has the mindset to go further than just the average,” Rebekah said with pride. “The hands-on environment that my daughters received, the different learning skills that First Steps teaches, and the criteria that they give teachers to teach the students, it’s unmatched.” 

Learn more about First Steps 4K 

SC First Steps partners with more than 320 licensed child care centers, private schools, and charter schools across the state, making it easy for families to find a high-quality program that meets their needs. To see if your child qualifies for First Steps 4K, a free, full-day four-year-old kindergarten for children in South Carolina, learn more about eligibility. 

Topics: First Steps 4K, Early Care and Education, School Transition