THE STORY OF HIPPY Home Instruction for Parents of Preschool Youngsters Gabby Hernandez, HIPPY Specialist

WHO, WHY, WHEN. WHERE PROGRAM PHILOSOPHY All children can learn All parents want the best for their children These two beliefs have guided the development of the program throughout its history

WHO, WHY Dr. Avima Lombard (founder of HIPPY)  Completing her doctoral degree in ECE, she observed that Head Start children, who were all from similar backgrounds, could be divided into two distinct groups One group was ready to engage in school-like activities: knew colors, shapes, how to hold a pencil, were used to having books read to them The other group possessed little to no readiness skills

WHY, WHEN, WHERE One group of parents was involved in their children’s education despite limited or negative educational experiences themselves The other group of parents thought it best to leave their children’s education to the “expert” teachers In 1969 when Dr. Lombard finished her doctoral degree, she returned to Hebrew University Jerusalem, Israel and sponsored by the NCJW Research Institute for Innovation in Education, developed the HIPPY program

WHEN, WHERE By 1975, the Israel Ministry of Education adopted HIPPY as a national home based early childhood program In the 1980’s HIPPY began spreading around the world In 1984 the first programs began the U.S. in Virginia, Oklahoma and in 1985 in Miami In 1986 Hillary Clinton visited Miami and brought HIPPY to Arkansas where the first training and technical assistance center was established a few years later

WHO, WHEN, WHERE In 1988 HIPPY USA was established in New York City as the national office with Miriam Wertheimer as Executive Director (she is now the Director of HIPPY International) HUSA was first housed as a project for the NCJW Center for the Child and in 1991 became an independent non-profit organization

Our HIPPY Story The first Texas program started in Dallas in 1988 The state office was established in 1998 HIPPY Houston Independent School District in 1993