The catalyst for starting PREP came from the Boswell family. I still remember the call from Jayne wanting private speech-language therapy for her son Greg. Meeting Jayne and Greg for the first time and in ongoing conversations with Jayne and her husband, Pat, I soon became aware of the lack of services in Calgary. That referral led to many and the seed was planted to start a preschool, so that services could be accessible and affordable for families. There was no interest from existing service providers in accepting referrals for kids with Down syndrome, as I was told "if you take one, you have to take them all". Looking back after 20 years in the field, that prophecy was apropos!
The concern about the cost of private services was allayed when I met with Arden Berg, of AMOCO Canada. They were intrigued with the concept of a not for profit preschool model and liked that the concept was new and different. I went in to meet for 15 minutes and ended up leaving 1-1/2 hours later with a commitment for $10,000. I also didn’t get a parking ticket, which I have always considered good karma! The next step was to tell parents what our plan was and we presented to Ups and Downs, a local parent support group. The need was so great the first class filled in a flash and parents holding babies in their arms were eager to pre-register.
The PREP Program was established in 1988, the year of the Winter Olympics. It was a conscious decision to start after the games were over, because we started in the church basement of Foothills Lutheran Church, which was directly across from the University of Calgary, host for many events. We were worried that parents would get caught in traffic. Laura Read was PREP’s first teacher and I was the SLP – what a team with 7 students in our first class.
The pilot project was a great success, so it ran twice that spring. In the fall we met with Alberta Learning and registered as an ECS program. First we had to register as a not for profit. The name was chosen and the letters stood for Preparation and Readiness for Entrance Into Preschool, A Calgary Society to Promote Education for Children with Down syndrome, a mouthful that shortened to PREP nicely! Our ECS program continues to be the backbone of PREP and we point with great pride to the first grads, who now 20 years later, are young adults. Alberta Learning has been a tremendous resource and their staff wonderful mentors.
Space quickly became an issue and we bid a fond farewell to Foothills Lutheran. The Bethany Care Centre allowed PREP to renovate an empty building on their site at 1001 -17 Street NW. The first renovation was truly a parent volunteer effort, spearheaded by Tom Sinclair and aided by numerous trades and businesses who donated so freely of their time and supplies. Of special mention is the assistance of volunteers from the Calgary Police Service, in particular Constable Robert Vanderweil, who later died in the line of duty. The campaign was commemorated with the "Love Opens Doors" poster. Not one but two renovations were required subsequently at the Bethany Care and Al Popp and his colleagues at PCL Construction became life long friends of PREP.
The years at the Bethany were full of growth with new programs and services added yearly plus a lovely addition of a new playground thanks to a City of Calgary, United Way Day of Caring Project. PREP’s programs now were numbered as easy as 1-2-3! PREP 1 continues to be for toddlers and moms, PREP 2 is the ECS program, and PREP 3 is services for school age students. With more kids arriving and none leaving, it was time to look for a new home. PREP is truly unique in that families self refer and can receive continuous services from birth to adulthood.
With the growth in services, we outgrew our name and The PREP Program’s name changed to be "a society that promotes education for individuals with Down syndrome". No longer focused just on preschool, the acronym PREP now stands for Pride, Respect, Empowerment, and Progress. In the late 1990’s the Board of Directors, under the leadership of first President, Carol Hall, then President, Owen Thomson, made in hindsight what proved to be very strategic decisions to purchase a building on the North Hill. One favourite memory is the show band massing in the parking lot at Bethany Care. The students, parents, staff, and friends of PREP marched behind the band, as it paraded up the 19th Street hill to our new location at 2004 -12 Ave NW. On a beautiful fall day there was a party in the park with dignitaries on stage, a pumpkin patch, and laughing children. The Woodridge PREP Centre is centrally located in the inner city and easily accessible from major traffic routes. In three years the majority of the building was paid off thanks to an incredible long term commitment from the Woodridge Charity Golf Tournament. This purchase has given PREP great financial freedom, as now the funds that would have gone to rent, go to programs for kids. PREP 4 was introduced to offer more programs for teens and young adults.. It holds great promise for preparing students for volunteering and for the workplace and that catalyst for change came from Gerry and Elaine Wood. They exemplify those parents who want other children to have what their child’s life has been so enriched by. Their daughter, Megan, is now a role model for others, as she lives her life fully included at home, school and the workplace. I still remember her as a young girl coming to the original location at Foothills Lutheran, eager to start her speech and reading sessions. She and PREP have reached adulthood together!
The Board of Directors at PREP play an integral role in PREP’s continued growth. Programs continue to be accessible by all families due to PREP’s partnerships with community agencies, government departments, and individual donors. Of special note is our long standing relationships with the United Way and the Student Health Partnership. PREP is blessed with the proceeds from many charity events but Let’s Talk Hockey deserves a special mention, as it is a Board event. Host Kelly Hrudey, is the inspiration and in this our 5th anniversary year $120,000 was raised!
The strategic planning process continues and PREP is well positioned to enjoy many more years of service to individuals with Down syndrome. Of special note are new programs and services such as PREP Links, Every
Child A Reader, Breaking the News, Telling Parents Their Child Has a Disability, and the publication of "Win Win Advice for Successful Inclusion", a follow up sister publication to "Effective Teaching Strategies for Successful Inclusion. Co-author, Claire Clelland was with PREP for 10 years and we look forward to celebrating her daughter, Samantha’s, graduation from Grade 12 in PREP’s anniversary year.
PREP is a family affair, aptly reflected in one of our values which states, "We are family". I continue to be blessed with the unconditional love and support of my family, husband, Bob, daughters, Jenny and Julia, and that made all the difference in the world over the past 20 years. Each volunteered in myriad capacities and we all treasure the lessons learned and friendships made. PREP families are wonderful!
As PREP enters its 20th anniversary year future plans include transition planning for the Executive Director, Board and Staff, the return of the annual teacher conference, a big party for our families, and our first conference in the United States. Pasadena here we come! It is a pleasure to connect with a dedicated group of parents in Pasadena CA that are the first to commit to starting a PREP of their own.
In closing the words of Ralph Waldo Emerson are very telling as we reflect on where PREP began and as we look to the future:
"Do not follow where the path may lead. Go instead where there is no path and leave a trail."
By Barbara Tien, Founder
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