The fourth ECEDP cohort, composed of 29 students, began training and coursework in Summer 2008. This cohort year also marked the beginning of the ECEDP Mentor Program. Ten mentors, all of whom are prior graduates of the ECEDP program, serve as resources, facilitators, and collaborators to this current cohort of students. In December 2008, the ECEDP mentors gathered at the new library at Fort Belknap College to give feedback and receive continued training to better enhance the mentor-mentee relationships.
The ECEDP, in conjunction with the Montana Nutrition and Physical Activity Program (NAPA), visited the Blackfeet Early Childhood Center, Fort Belknap Head Start,Northern Cheyenne Head Start, and Fort Peck Head Start to present Early Childhood Movement Workshops. Led by Nancy Colton, Assistant Professor in the Health and Human Development department at MSU, these workshops introduced the importance of health and movement for young children served by Head Start programs. Attendees included not only ECEDP students, but also teachers and staff of the tribal Head Start programs.
On campus Desire2Learn train enabled all of the ECEDP students and mentors to travel to MSU in Spring 2009. Students were able to connect with one another and to check in with faculty and administrators representing the entire MSU community.