NIOST Evaluates FasTracKids Programs Around the  Globe

Research & Action Report Fall/Winter 2007

Julie Dennehy traveled to Guadalajara, Mexico in September, to St. Petersburg, Russia and Caracas, Venezeula in October, and to Shanghai, China and Cairo, Egypt in November to begin collecting data for evaluations of FasTracKids programs in these cities. The National Institute on Out-of-School Time (NIOST) at Wellesley Centers for Women has been contracted by FasTracKids Enrichment Centers to conduct an evaluation of sites from around the globe. FasTracKids offer a variety of classes and activities that promote early exploration for lifelong learning. The program is designed to prepare children for school and life; develop creative thinking and problem solving; build communication and speaking skills; teach the application and transfer of knowledge; promote leadership and personal growth; and encourage a lifelong love of learning. The FasTracKids Research Study is a 19-month international study conducted by NIOST aimed at examining the link between participation in FasTracKids enrichment programs and child outcomes for children 4 and 5 years old. Dennehy’s NIOST colleague, Diane Gruber, will be conducting FasTracKids evaluations in several U.S. cities in New York, Georgia, Illinois, and California.