Nonprofit aims to make early childhood education more accessible amid high demand

The New Cornwell Early Learning Center celebrated its one-year anniversary with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Wednesday afternoon.

School officials said kids who start behind often stay behind and the learning center is aiming to bridge that gap.

“It’s wonderful. He’s a lot more adventurous and excited to come,” Anna Dehn, parent, said.

Dehn’s 3-year-old son attends the Cornwell Early Learning Center.

The center’s mission is to help low-income families gain access to high-quality care.

“I was really happy about the commitment to diversity and providing rich experiences for kids and meeting them where they’re at,” Dehn said.

Urban Ventures, a faith-based nonprofit, opened the centers’ doors last fall.

On Wednesday, a ribbon-cutting ceremony celebrated a year of making sure early education is not out of reach.

“It’s really important. My heart is in early childhood and I love the learning and the zest for life that young children have,” MaryBeth Stotts, CELC director, said.

About two-thirds of the students enrolled at the center come from low income families.

Urban Ventures staff walks parents through the process of applying for financial aid and scholarships to make sure early education is accessible for everyone.

“We’re here to kind of make the most of it and give them the best start we can,” Stotts said. “Those kids need to get ready for kindergarten just like everybody else.”

The center is also breaking language barriers. A large amount of the families who attend the school are Spanish-speaking.

Center leaders explained demand is high.

There are 64 kids are currently enrolled at the center. They are licensed for up to 84 kids, but they’re still working to recruit more educators so they can get more kids in the classroom.