(Newport, KY – July 28, 2025) Brighton Center received a $25,000 grant from the Scripps Howard Fund to support Home Instruction for Parents of Preschool Youngsters (HIPPY). The Scripps Howard Fund's focus on education and childhood literacy perfectly aligns with Brighton Center’s focus on preparing children for success in school and life.
HIPPY provides home visitation to families with children ages 2-5 and supports parents to be their child’s first and most important teacher by giving them the tools to teach their children. The HIPPY model is a home-based preschool education program where parents acquire new knowledge, confidence, and skills that build on their capacity to teach and the children to learn. Family engagement is linked to better educational outcomes, and providing the parents with the information and resources to get involved helps them to maintain engagement.
HIPPY follows a developmentally appropriate curriculum model, with role-play as the teaching method. Home Visitors meet with families weekly to go over the material with the parents and caregivers so that they can, in turn, become the child’s teacher. The curriculum is primarily cognitive-based, focusing on language development, problem-solving, logical thinking, and perceptual skills.
While meeting with parents, Home Visitors also support the whole family’s homes and dreams, including self-sufficiency. Home Visitors help build a family’s support network through monthly group outings and ensure that each family’s tangible and intangible needs are met, such as food and hygiene items, and financial coaching.
During the last fiscal year, 93% of those participating in Brighton Center’s home visitation for 12 months were assessed as age-appropriate in cognitive and language skills.
“Our home visitation programs, including HIPPY, allow Brighton Center to connect with the families we serve on a deeper level. Weekly visits foster a deep connection and allow us to support the whole family at once. Strong children and strong families help our community thrive,” said Jessica Schierling, Parenting Services Director. “We are grateful to the Scripps Howard Fund for their deep belief and commitment to supporting this meaningful work.”
To learn more about Home Instruction for Parents of Preschool Youngsters and other programs that support families, please visit brightoncenter.com.
About the Scripps Howard Fund
The Scripps Howard Fund, a public charity established by The E.W. Scripps Company, is dedicated to creating informed and engaged communities through journalism education, childhood literacy and local causes. At the crossroads of the classroom and the newsroom, the Fund is a leader in supporting journalism through award-winning journalism education programs; scholarships, internships and fellowships; and support of First Amendment causes. The Scripps Howard Awards stand as one of the industry’s top honors for outstanding journalism. The Fund’s annual “If You Give a Child a Book …” childhood literacy campaign has distributed thousands of new books to children in need across the nation. The Fund improves lives and helps build thriving communities by partnering with Scripps brands to create awareness of local issues and support impactful organizations to drive solutions.
About Brighton Center
The mission of Brighton Center, Inc. is to create opportunities for individuals and families to reach self-sufficiency through family support services, education, employment, and leadership. We will achieve this mission by creating an environment that rewards excellence and innovation, encourages mutual respect, and maximizes resources. Brighton Center impacts the lives of thousands of individuals from infants to older adults through 47 programs across all of Northern Kentucky and beyond.