Page 13 - Hobe Sound Refletions - March '24

Hobe Sound, Page 13

kids cOrner

Community Foundation youth literacy rates in Palm
Beach and Martin counties.
Launched Early Literacy Specifically, in Palm
Fund At 11th Annual Beach County right now,
52 percent of third-grade
Founders Luncheon students are not reading
at a third-grade level. In
Martin County that number
New Fund To Address Alarming Local is 49 percent. Further, local
Statistics That Show Failing Reading Rates school districts are seeing
For Third-Graders a downward trend. The
Palm Beach County School
The Community Foundation for Palm Beach and District was downgraded
Martin Counties launched its new Early Literacy Fund at from an A to a B rating in December 2023 and Martin
the organization’s 11th Annual Founders Luncheon held County also received a B rating. With the fail rates on serve are falling behind in record numbers, with the current
on Feb. 28 at the Kravis Center in West Palm Beach. The third-grade reading assessments rising above 50 percent, third-grade literacy rate well below acceptable levels. That
Annual Founders Luncheon highlighted Hope for Early the Community Foundation was moved to create the Early is why the Community Foundation was moved to lead a
Education, and celebrated the powerful philanthropic Literacy Fund. The fund is designed to help those nonprofit philanthropic response and create the Early Literacy Fund.”
and nonprofit partners making a difference locally in organizations focused on improving youth literacy rates Beginning in 2024, the Early Literacy Fund will be
early literacy. The Community Foundation is a not-for- in Palm Beach and Martin counties. incorporated into the Community Foundation’s annual
profit organization that leads partnerships with donors, “Experts tell us a child’s ability to read at grade level by competitive Community Impact grantmaking cycle –
nonprofits and community members to solve the region’s third grade is the single greatest predictor of future success, specifically in its priority area of education and youth.
chronic and emerging issues. because this is when they transition from learning to read to Competitive grants are a hallmark of the Community
The Early Literacy Fund is the Community reading to learn,” said Danita R. DeHaney, president and CEO Foundation and are a lifeline for those nonprofit partners
Foundation’s philanthropic response to the alarming of the Community Foundation. “Youth in the communities we tackling our area’s greatest needs at the grassroots level.
Through the grantmaking cycle, donors directly support over
100 community-focused organizations each year.
Book Review from page 12 physical skills ultimately brings together all of the “The Community Foundation has been a voice of
complex strands of this book’s imaginative story line leadership in supporting local nonprofits that are working
When the planned meeting with his assumed to a satisfying, yet magical, conclusion. hard to improve education in the communities we serve,”
father is delayed, Cameron takes a job at the Sowell As for me, it was after I had read page 250 of this book’s said Jeffrey A. Stoops, chair of the Board of Directors of
Bay aquarium temporarily replacing Tova when she 355 pages, at a special moment in the narrative, that I put the the Community Foundation for Palm Beach and Martin
is injured, and the two gradually form a genuine book down and, feeling all choked up, with the memory of Counties. “Our vision is to make 2024 a transformative
friendship. my own earlier experience, year for children’s literacy with the launch of our Early
While in Sowell Bay, Cameron begins to develop a called both my daughters Literacy Fund.”
relationship with a young woman, Avery – and author and thanked them for their For more information or to donate to the Community
Van Pelt adds to the cast of characters Ethan, owner of very thoughtful gift. Foundation of Palm Beach and Martin counties, please
the local market. All are interesting and worth getting I suspect you will visit https://yourcommunityfoundation.org/give-now/.
to know. want to thank me for For more information on the Early Literacy Fund, please
But it is Marcellus who, with his intelligence, sharing this wonderful visit https://yourcommunityfoundation.org/funds/early-
intuitive understanding and scientifically accurate book with you. literacy-fund/.

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SPOTLIGHT ON HEALTH CARE

Surgeon stresses successful procedures go well

beyond the operating room.

By Valerie Staggs more to do with making the surgery expe- of surgical equip-
rience more comfortable for patients and ment. Equipment
Vivek Patel, MD, has been in and out their families. One of the biggest concerns is moved from op-
of operating rooms for over 15 years. A families have when their loved one is un- erating rooms to
board-certified cardiothoracic surgeon dergoing surgery is understanding what to the sterile process-
specializing in minimally invasive valve expect before surgery and being able to get ing department via
and open heart surgery, Patel performs
cutting-edge procedures that treat com- updates on their loved one during the sur- dedicated elevators
gery. In a 2020-21 survey commissioned for clean instru-
mon heart conditions such as faulty heart by the American Board of Internal Med- ments and those
valves and clogged arteries.
icine Foundation, 600 physicians were requiring steril- Johnny and Terry Gray Surgical Institute at Jupiter Medical Center.
As a cardiothoracic surgeon, Patel is keen- asked what the biggest challenge in ensur- ization. Jupiter
ly aware of his patients’ trust in him and ing patient trust is. Poor communication Medical Center has implemented several
his weighty responsibility to ensure their was cited as number one. different pathways for sterilization to max-
well-being while in his care. This care, Pa- Health care providers like Jupiter Medical imize efficiency, getting instruments back
tel is quick to point out, goes well beyond Center are making strides to make com- in surgeons’ hands quickly and seamlessly.
what happens in the operating room.
munication a priority. At the hospital’s The operating rooms are also designed for
“I think we need to look at the whole new Johnny and Terry Gray Surgical Insti- efficiency. Patel explains that operating
process, not just for patients, but for tute, families are kept up to date through- rooms can often get crowded, making a
their families too,” says Patel. He cites out their loved one’s surgery via patient surgeon’s job challenging. The operating
the new Johnny and Terry Gray Surgical tracking monitors in the waiting rooms. rooms at the new surgical institute are er-
Institute at Jupiter Medical Center as an Families now have real-time updates on gonomically designed, allowing for ease
example of how surgical facilities are now their loved ones throughout their surgery, of use and efficiency during surgery. Five
being designed with features that give pa- minimizing the anxiety of waiting for robotic operating systems and two hybrid
tients and families peace of mind while news about their loved ones. operating rooms provide state-of-the-art
giving surgeons the technology they need technology, enabling surgeons to offer the
to ensure success. Many of the patient benefits Patel is ex- most cutting-edge surgical options to their
cited about happen behind the scenes at
“I have never worked in a better equipped the surgical institute. Efficiency in a surgi- patients, oftentimes with shorter recovery Vivek Patel, MD, Cardiothoracic Surgeon
times.
and integrated facility that vastly benefits cal setting is vitally important in ensuring
patients,” says Patel of the new surgical in- that surgeons can operate effectively while “All these changes will affect how health
stitute, which opened in December. ensuring the safety of patients. “A lot of care is delivered in Palm Beach Coun- For more information about the
thoughtful design went into the surgical ty,” says Patel. “We are centered on the Surgical Institute please visit
The benefits he refers to have less to do institute,” explains Patel. One area of en- patient. That’s the way medicine should
with the surgical instruments he uses and jupitermed.com.
hanced efficiency relates to the sterilization be practiced.”
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