In the basement of Unity Point School, tucked away near the music rooms, Stevie Mathis and her team are quietly changing the trajectory of young lives—one home visit at a time.

As Lead Parent Educator for Unity Point's Birth to Three program, Mathis doesn't work in a traditional classroom. Instead, she and her team enter families' homes to support parents and children during the most crucial years of development.

"We go into families with children that are prenatal all the way until their third birthday," explains Mathis, who holds a bachelor's degree in early childhood education from SIU Carbondale.

The program currently serves approximately 28 families within the Unity Point School District, with three full-time parent educators making weekly or bi-weekly home visits. Unlike many assistance programs, there are no strict income requirements to participate, though priority is given to families with specific needs.

What makes the program special is its focus on parent-child interaction. "Getting the parents to play with their child is our main focus," says Mathis. In an era dominated by screens, teaching parents how to engage directly with their children has become increasingly important.

"We've realized a lot of it is generational," Mathis notes. "They might not have been played with as a child too much, so they don't really know how to play."

The program's impact is evident in a letter from Weixiang "Megan" Zhang, whose son Benjamin has participated since he was one year old. "I witnessed his progress in each home visit," Zhang writes. "From the beginning, he was so shy to talk, and now he is able to communicate with his teacher Ms. Stevie in many funny ways."

For families like Zhang's, the program offers tangible benefits beyond education. Each visit, parent educators bring free books—sometimes in the family's native language. Benjamin received Chinese editions that taught him about "the 12 lucky animals and what kind of lucky animal belongs to each of his family members." The program also provides free diapers and access to donated baby items and clothing.

When Zhang's family moved to the area in 2023, the program became a lifeline. "Ms. Stevie collected a lot of resources and information for us including employment opportunities, food resources, activities, events, and tried to help us get connected with Unity Point community and other families," Zhang explains. "Without those resources, I wouldn't get used to the new environment so quickly."

The parent educators also organize monthly "group connections" to foster socialization among families. These free activities range from Dr. Seuss celebrations to field trips to parks, gymnastics centers, and pumpkin patches.

"A lot of our parents don't have much socialization outside of the home," says Mathis, who can even provide transportation for families when needed.

The program's preventative approach is key to its success. Every six months, children receive developmental screenings. If delays are detected, the team can immediately connect families with early intervention services.

"We can make referrals and help them get everything set up that they need," Mathis says. This early detection can make all the difference in a child's development trajectory.

For Mathis, who chose this career path over classroom teaching, the reward comes from working with entire families. "I enjoy working with families as a whole—the families and the child," she says.

Zhang's letter confirms the program's profound impact: “She always encourages us to talk positively to the kids, use positive words instead of negative words... I was inspired a lot and learned from her Professional Early Childhood Education Development theory."

As Zhang concludes, "I appreciate that Benjamin could be one student of the 0 to 3 programs. We hope this program could benefit more and more kids and their families."

Families within the Unity Point School District interested in learning more can contact Stevie Mathis at smathis@up140.org or call the school for more information.