Search Results

Need to get in touch? Explore our location, hours, and phone numbers. Contact Us Phone Numbers & Hours of Operation Childcare Resources School 772-778-8884 Monday - Friday 8:00 am - 5:30 pm Childcare Resources Office 772-567-3202 Monday - Friday 8:30 am - 5:00 pm Childcare Resources School & Offices 2300 Fifth Avenue, Suite 149 Vero Beach, FL 32960 Helpful Hints Childcare Resources is located on the south side of the Omni Financial building (formerly the Doctor's Clinic) The school entrance is just to the right of Alzheimer-Parkinson Association, down the covered walkway The administrative offices are to the right of the school entrance, up two steps

What is Your Why? What would your children remember if it was their only day? What would be their memory of you? Coach's Column Paulette Maggiacomo November 2, 2020 Spread the news, shout it from the rooftops…..Lisa Murphy, ‘the Ooey, Gooey Lady’, will be presenting at our virtual workshop on Saturday, November 14th from 9:00 – 3:00!!! Lisa is an active and engaging storyteller, people who have attended her workshops often ask her if she is a stand-up comedian on the side. In her first session, What If Today Was Their Only Day? , she will take us on a grand tour of Miss Mary’s Nursery School which she attended when she turned 3. It was then and there that Lisa decided to become a teacher. She will identify the how, and why, that one day solidified this decision. Lisa will ask you, What is Your Why ? What would your children remember if it was their only day? What would be their memory of you? Will they take your joy and love of teaching with them? Now that Lisa has re-energized us as to why we do what we do, her next session will focus on Identifying and Creating Child Centered Environments . Lisa believes in developmentally sound, play-based, child-centered, hands-on early childhood environments that are grounded in best practice. She will lead us through the twelve principles of Developmentally Appropriate Practice (DAP) which is needed for a high quality childhood environment – our ultimate goal. In the afternoon, Lisa will talk about a topic that is close to my heart and I am sure to yours as well, The Importance of Early Experiences: How playing IS school readiness . She will discuss how a foundation of play supports the house of higher learning and the seven things we must do with children each day. PLAY as we know is essential for children to succeed. I am hoping that Lisa will discuss how to deal with the ‘wolves’ at our door who do not see the value of play. Once we able to articulate the ‘why’ of play, the ‘wolves’ will retreat. I invite you to spend the day with us. Connect with other early educators via zoom. Sometimes we all need a reminder of just how important our jobs really are! Back to Coaching Back to Newsletters

Are you interested in working at Childcare Resources? Explore our open positions and submit your resume! Join our team VIEW SCHOOL OPENINGS Director of Philanthropy Drive Major Gifts. Empower Children. Strengthen Communities. Are you ready to make a profound impact on the lives of children and families? Childcare Resources of Indian River is seeking a dynamic Director of Philanthropy to lead our major gifts strategy and champion a culture of giving. As we expand our reach and launch the next phase of our Transforming Tomorrow capital campaign, you’ll play a pivotal role in cultivating relationships, inspiring generosity, and shaping the future of early childhood education in our community. If you’re passionate about building meaningful connections and driving transformational change, we want you on our team. Please submit resume t o Michele Harr: Michele@ ChildcareResourcesIR.org View Job Description (PDF) What does it mean to be part of the Childcare Resources team? We understand that we’re part of a school family . We believe that strong, open communication is the key to everyone’s success. We work towards the same goals . We practice gratitude . We think big . We are transparent . We believe that our culture, like our organization, creates impact . We believe that what we do shapes a better tomorrow . What can you expect from your teammates - and yourself? Creative mind full of ideas. Eyes that see opportunity . Strong voice to advocate for the families we serve. Big heart that’s full of passion for our mission . Arms that lift up our teammates . Hands that are always willing to help . Legs that stand up for what’s right . Feet that dance when we celebrate a win . School Positions Assistant Teacher Responsibilities Provide a safe and stimulating classroom environment Implement age appropriate curriculum Foster relationships with parents Meet NAEYC requirements Maintain files and records Abide by all laws and regulations Minimum Qualifications High school diploma 1 year of experience working with young children in a classroom setting DCF training certification Level II background screening First aid and CPR training Commitment to obtain staff credential within one year of employment (FCCPC or CDA) Hours 40 hours per week, year-round Apply Today Full-Time School Support Specialist Responsibilities Assist in various classrooms Provide a safe and stimulating classroom environment Implement age appropriate curriculum Foster relationships with parents Meet NAEYC requirements Maintain files and records Abide by all laws and regulations Minimum Qualifications High school diploma 1 year of experience working with young children in a classroom setting DCF training certification Level II background screening First aid and CPR training Commitment to obtain staff credential within one year of employment (FCCPC or CDA) Hours 40 hours per week, year-round Apply Today Part-Time School Support Specialist Responsibilities Assist in various classrooms Provide a safe and stimulating classroom environment Implement age appropriate curriculum Foster relationships with parents Meet NAEYC requirements Maintain files and records Abide by all laws and regulations Minimum Qualifications High school diploma 1 year of experience working with young children in a classroom setting DCF training certification Level II background screening First aid and CPR training Commitment to obtain staff credential within one year of employment (FCCPC or CDA) Hours 20-25 hours per week, year-round Apply Today Childcare Resources has available positions for dedicated, responsible and caring individuals who have a passion for working with young children. We offer competitive salary and benefits, as well as the opportunity to work in a state-of-the-art school with skilled and professional colleagues. What does it take to join our team? A desire to teach through inspiration and exploration. Every child learns differently and it's your role to create the spark! A commitment to implement a thoughtful and well-planned curriculum. As a NAEYC-accredited school, our curriculum addresses all aspects of child development. An understanding that your role as a caretaker and an educator can make a life-long difference for a child. The nurturing and education children receive in their first five years shapes the rest of their lives. A willingness to partner with parents. We encourage parents to be involved in their child's education and we encourage teachers to provide guidance and support. An enthusiasm for continued learning. Childcare Resources provides ongoing professional development opportunities, including workshops and coaching. What We Offer: Witness Wonder Children play on a carpet in a preschool classroom. Who We Are About Childcare Resources and what working here means A Childcare Resources Team Member Qualities of a team member Witness Wonder Children play on a carpet in a preschool classroom. 1/4

The Importance of Child Engagement in Play and Learning & Emergent Literacy | Alan Guttman | The Importance of Child Engagement in Play and Learning & Emergent Literacy October 22, 2022 Handout (PDF) Back Alan Guttman Learn how to define and identify the types and levels of a child's engagement with adults, peers, materials, play activities, and instructional tasks. Learn the basic sequence of language development milestones and strategies for supporting and promoting language development in young children.

Submit a preliminary application for high-quality childcare. Applying for Childcare Please complete the preliminary application for childcare below. The wage calculator button below can help calculate your annual wages. A Spanish application is available. Do you have questions? If you need assistance in completing or updating this application, please call the Childcare Resources Wellness and Early Intervention Team: 772-567-3202 ext. 112. Wage Calculator Español

Make a contribution that supports high-quality early education for children in Indian River County! Make A Gift Did you know that children who receive high-quality early education are less likely to repeat a grade and more likely to graduate high school ? Your gift today will be used efficiently to support Childcare Resources' work and to help start Indian River County’s youngest students on the path to success! Please call our office with any questions: 772-567-3202. A COPY OF THE OFFICIAL REGISTRATION AND FINANCIAL INFORMATION MAY BE OBTAINED FROM THE DIVISION OF CONSUMER SERVICES BY CALLING TOLL-FREE WITHIN THE STATE 1-800-HELP-FLA OR VIA WWW.FLORIDACONSUMERHELP.COM . REGISTRATION DOES NOT IMPLY ENDORSEMENT, APPROVAL, OR RECOMMENDATION BY THE STATE. Registration #CH5623

Explore the professional development workshops we've offered. Past Workshops March 14, 2026 I'll Bring the Joy Dr. Nefertiti Poyner Read More March 1, 2025 Nurturing Young Children in Nature Michele Lucia, EdD Read More February 3, 2024 Connect to Your Calling Coy Bowles Read More April 1, 2023 Parent Engagement and the 5 Languages of Appreciation Rhonda J. Meyers Read More April 9 2022 Conscious Discipline Kim Jackson Read More March 2021 Pathway to Quality Judy Jablon Read More February 2020 Conscious Discipline: February 2020 Kim Hughes Read More January 2019 Ready for Stream Dr. Dan Gartrell Read More November 15, 2025 Learning to Play, Playing to Learn Dr. Peg Oliveira Read More November 16, 2024 The Power of Mistakes: Creative a Positive CLASSroom Climate Dr. Maleka Donaldson Read More December 9, 2023 Wunderled - Unlock the Power of Play Sally Haughey Read More February 11, 2023 Simple Interactions Dr. Dana Winters Read More February 5 2022 Teaching with Intention & Powerful Play Amanda Morgan Read More January 2021 Trauma-Informed Practices to Benefit All Children Dr. Peg Oliveira Read More November 2019 Emergent Literacy Cynthia Raso and Meredith Osborne Read More October 2018 Conscious Discipline: Resilience Mandy Lloyd Read More October 4, 2025 Embracing the Science of Reading in our Early Childhood Classrooms Tracie Wieczorek and Lesley Jennings Read More October 5, 2024 Reggio Emilia with Dr. Angela Eckhoff Angela Eckhoff Read More October 14, 2023 Why Poverty Matters - How WE Can Matter More Dr. Tammy Pawloski Read More October 22, 2022 The Importance of Child Engagement in Play and Learning & Emergent Literacy Alan Guttman Read More December 2021 DAP: Why our children don't need pushing, and what they do need instead Amanda Morgan Read More November 2020 The Importance of Early Experiences & Sensory Play Every Day Lisa Murphy Read More October 2019 Foundations of Child Development Dr. Peg Oliveira Read More August 23, 2025 Teaching What We Practice: Conscious Discipline Starts with Us Angela Fraley Read More Saturday, August 24 Empowering Educators the Conscious Discipline Way Cheryl Cotter Read More August 26, 2023 Conscious Discipline: Supporting Neurodiversity Kristen Balhoff Read More August 27 2022 Starting Strong: Creating a School Family Mandy Lloyd Read More April 2021 Conscious Discipline: April 2021 Kim Hughes Read More October 2020 More WHATs, HOWs, and WHYs of Fine Motor Dr. Marianne Gibbs Read More March 2019 Big Ideas for Early Mathematics Lisa Ginet Read More

Nominate someone to receive the Founders Award, presented annually at Starfest each year. Founders Award The Childcare Resources Founders’ Award is presented annually at Starfest and recognizes volunteers with a history of outstanding service and dedication to Childcare Resources, to its mission, and to early childhood education as a whole. Recipients of the award have demonstrated a long-term commitment to the organization, creating lasting impact through outstanding professional, philanthropic, and/or volunteer service. To suggest someone that should be recognized, please complete the form below or contact Monica Cheslak .

The annual report, including financial summary and contributor list, for the 2019-2020 fiscal year. Download PDF (18 MB) Top Leadership Message Possibility Financial Summary Contributors 2019-2020 Gratitude Report Our Mission To elevate and promote the highest quality early childhood development and education in Indian River County, focusing on economically challenged children and families. The Vision of Childcare Resources All children and their families benefit from a high quality learning experience. 2019 - 2020 Board of Directors Susan Donovan, President Richard Giessert, Immediate Past President Jeanette Corbett, Treasurer Carol Buhl, At-Large Officer Katy Block Healy, At-Large Officer Cynthia Hultquist, At-Large Officer Carrie Adams Brian Baker James Beindorf Susan Blaxill-Deal Patrick Farrah Ginny Glazer John Hendricks Barbara Horton Joy Lambert Jennifer Peshke Tracy Sorzano Karla Spooner Shannon McGuire Bowman, MA, CFRE Leadership Thank you for your support of Childcare Resources during the past year. For so many children, a high-quality early education creates a strong foundation for success later in life. Children that attend preschool are more likely to graduate high school and to attend college. At Childcare Resources, we recognize in our students real possibility, believing that each will go on to change the world. This year, our world changed drastically. As a result, our programs temporarily moved online. We strengthened how we communicate with and support our program families. We reached out to local educators to offer support and guidance. We became a community hub for early education. And through so much uncertainty, we discovered what is truly possible. As we start to move to a new normal, I want to thank you for sharing our belief that every child can change the world and for giving each child a strong first step towards that possibility. Your support has impacted, and continues to impact, thousands of children in Indian River County. Warm regards, Shannon McGuire Bowman, MA, CFRE Executive Director Message Possibility: The belief that every child can change the world. Possibility Impact: When generosity brings possibility to life, bettering our community. 2019 - 2020 Impacts & Highlights 149 Children provided with high-quality care. 1,002 On-site therapy hours completed, providing on-site developmental support to students in need 447 Hours of program parent training and engagement 2,496 Hours of teacher training in professional development seminars promoting excellence in early education 3,068 Children reached by Childcare Resources educator outreach programs Bringing childcare to more families Through a partnership with Homeless Children's Foundation, Childcare Resources began a five-year pilot program that adds program spots for twenty more children and creates two mixed-age classrooms in the Childcare Resources School. Becky Bailey joins us at Starfest Dr. Becky Bailey, founder and Chief Knowledge Officer of Conscious Discipline, joined us for two inspiring days of Starfest. In addition to the luncheons, Dr. Bailey met students, toured our school, and spoke with community representatives and stakeholders. Gratitude: The joy of thanking those who create impact through a shared belief in possibility. 2019 - 2020 Financial Summary In the 2019 - 2020 fiscal year, Childcare Resources operated a budget of $2.2 million. For every dollar contributed, 87 cents supported programs and services. As of the end of the fiscal year, the balance of the Childcare Resources endowment fund was $536,006. Assets - Current assets - Cash and cash equivalents 951,874 Grants receivable 187,774 Accounts receivable 160,029 Prepaid expenses 9,126 Total current assets 1,308,803 Endowment investments 536,006 Assets held for capital projects 22,612 Property and equipment, net 1,432,340 Other assets 13,319 Total assets 3,313,080 Liabilities and Net Assets - Current liabilities - Notes payable to bank 236,700 Accounts payable and accrued expenses 72,922 Prepaid tuition fees and deposits 15,537 Deferred revenues 2,000 Total current liabilities 327,159 Net assets - Without donor restrictions 2.010.278 With donor restrictions 975,643 Total net assets 2,985,921 Total liabilities and net assets 3,313,080 Summary of the audited June 30, 2020 financial statements prepared by Morgan, Jacoby, Thurn, Boyle and Associates, PA. A copy of the audited financial statements is available upon request. Financial Summary With Gratitude Every effort has been made to present an accurate list of contributors to the Childcare Resources annual fund in the 2019-2020 fiscal year. Gifts made in support of the capital campaign are not included in this list. We apologize to any individuals or groups whose listing is omitted, incorrect, or incomplete. Please contact the Childcare Resources office with any corrections. Pinnacle Scholars (Gifts of $10,000+) Anonymous Bernard Egan Foundation Mr. and Mrs. Dick Brickman Mr. and Mrs. Timothy Buhl Mr. and Mrs. Richard Burgoon David E. Retik and Christopher D. Mello Foundation Davis Family Fund Grand Harbor Community Outreach The H&J IRCF Fund Mr. and Mrs. Richard Haverland Mr. and Mrs. John Hendricks Homeless Children’s Foundation Ms. Nancy Hopwood Mr. and Mrs. Albert Horton Mr. and Mrs. Timothy Hultquist The Hultquist Foundation Ms. Susan Hunter and Mr. Douglas Watson Indian River County Children’s Services Advisory Committee Indian River County Hospital District Jake Owen Foundation James A Mulvey Foundation Kelsey Family Foundation L and G Fund Mr. and Mrs. Peter Lee Ms. Wanda Lincoln Quail Valley Charities, Inc. Mr. and Mrs. John Spooner Ms. Helen Sarah Steyer Syde Hurdus Foundation, Inc. United Way of Indian River County Grand Scholars (Gifts of $5,000 - $9,999) Anonymous Acts 20:35 Mr. Brian Baker and Mrs. Kathy Marshall Baker Mrs. James Currie Mr. and Mrs. George Fetterolf Ms. Natalie Jackson James Ford Bell Foundation Mr. and Mrs. Bob Martin Minotty Family Foundation Mr. and Mrs. Stephan Newhouse PNC Financial Services Group PNC Foundation, Grow up Great Puff Family Fund Mr. and Mrs. David Pyles Mr. and Mrs. Randy Rogers Sharaja Foundation Stork Foundation Mr. and Mrs. Jack Veeneman The Windsor Charitable Foundation Mr. and Mrs. Ralph Young Contributors Master Scholars (Gifts of $2,500 - $4,999) Mrs. Carrie Adams Mr. and Mrs. Brian Barefoot Mr. and Mrs. David Brower Mrs. Susan Blaxill-Deal and Mr. Scott Deal Exchange Club of Indian River Four-Four Foundation, Inc. George E. Warren Corp Mrs. Janel Griffin J. M. Hopwood Charitable Trust Kmetz, Nuttall, Elwell, Graham, PLLC Mr. and Mrs. David Morgan Mr. and Mrs. William Munn Riefler Family Fund Rogers Family Foundation Saint Augustine of Canterbury Episcopal Church Mr. and Mrs. Gene Waddell Mr. and Mrs. Marshall Waddell Scholars (Gifts of $1,000 - $2,499) Anonymous Ms. Clare Amato Mrs. Lois Appleby Bailey Family Foundation Mr. and Mrs. Donald Barr Mr. and Mrs. William Becker Mrs. Janie Binnion Mr. and Mrs. Sam Block Ms. Jeanne Cohane Community Church of Vero Beach Creative Floors of Vero Beach, Inc. Mr. Charles Croom Dale Sorensen Real Estate, Inc. The Datha Gene Foundation David & Robin Ryan Family Foundation Ms. Maryanne Davis Ms. Debbie Deibel The Fairfield Foundation Mrs. Terry Flaherty Mr. and Mrs. Jackson Floyd Mr. Robert Franklin Mr. and Mrs. William Friesell Mrs. Dorothy Gilbert Mr. and Mrs. Jean-Jacques Gilet Mrs. Mary P. Graves Mr. and Mrs. Bruce Hammonds Mr. and Mrs. Steve Healy Mrs. Elizabeth Jacobsen Mr. and Mrs. Douglas Johnston Mrs. Sheryl Jones Kahle Foundation Ms. Linda Lemmon and Mr. Denis Conlon Mr. and Mrs. Charles Lindsay Livya Barreirinhas Therapy Services, LLC Mr. and Mrs. Gerard Lynch Ms. Margaret Lyons Mrs. Christina Rhoads Marshall Mr. and Mrs. G. Jeff Mennen Mr. and Mrs. Edward Michael Mr. and Mrs. Guy Mitchell Ms. Jill Murphy Ms. Nancy Murphy Ms. Barbara Neubarth Mrs. Reginald B. Newman, II Mr. and Mrs. James J. O’Connor Peace River Citrus Products, Inc. Law Offices of Jennifer D. Peshke, P.A. Proctor Construction Company Ms. Judie Robbins Ms. Helen Taylor Robertson Mr. and Mrs. Fred Shriner Mr. and Mrs. Michael Smith Mr. and Mrs. John Sommers Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Steyer Ms. Linda Terry and Mr. David Utz Mrs. Ann Tharpe Ms. Marjorie Van Houten Vero Innovations Corporation Welsh Family Foundation Mr. and Mrs. Barry Wiksten Williams Family Fund Mr. and Mrs. Allen Zern Mr. and Mrs. Robert Zielsdorf Sustainers (Gifts of $500 - $999) Ms. Nancy Alderman Ms. Trish Bailey Ms. Elizabeth D. Black Ms. Alanson Horton Boden Mr. and Mrs. Larry Brashears Mrs. Mary Sue Brown Bryson Family Fund Mr. and Mrs. Jesse Carroll, Jr. Mr. and Mrs. John Dillon Mr. Anthony J. Donadio Mr. and Mrs. Jim Donovan Mr. and Mrs. David Dyer Mr. and Mrs. Emmett Evans Mr. and Mrs. Patrick Farrah Mr. and Mrs. Frederick Gaertner Gifford Youth Achievement Center Mr. and Mrs. John Gorman J. McLaughlin John’s Island Real Estate Company Mr. and Mrs. George Kahle Mrs. Susie Kasten Mr. and Mrs. Ferdinand Kelley Ms. Brenda Kelsey Mr. and Mrs. Neal Lohuis Ms. Betty Ann Ludington Mr. and Mrs. Doug Lynn Mrs. Carol Mahony Mr. and Mrs. Michael Neilson Northern Trust Olivia O’Bryan, Inc. Piper Aircraft, Inc. Ms. Polly Perkins Mr. and Mrs. Vernon Petty Mrs. Joanne Quaile Ms. Trudie Rainone Ms. Sandra Rennick Mr. Jack Rohrbach The Rosato Plastic Surgery Center SAD Foundation Mr. and Mrs. William Scully Seaside Smiles Pediatric Dentistry Mr. and Mrs. Wayne Sommers Mr. and Mrs. Bernard Swain Vero Chemical Distributors, Inc Vero Beach Global Advisors Ms. Jane W. Wykoff Investors (Gifts up to $499) Anonymous A+ Speech Therapy Professionals, Inc. Mrs. Janice Alfano Ms. Sally Alkayaly Ms. Anne Anderson Mr. Martin Anderson and Mrs. Foley Ms. Sally Smith Anderson Mr. and Mrs. Hamilton Arden Mr. James Armstrong Mr. and Mrs. Kevin Askin Mrs. Carol Atkinson Mr. and Mrs. William Bahrenburg Mr. and Mrs. Sam Bailey Mrs. Henrietta Barber Ms. Patricia Barry Ms. Kerry Bartlett Ms. Denise Battaglini Ms. Erica Bauer Mr. and Mrs. James Baumgardt Ms. Marilyn Beck Mr. and Mrs. Bill Becker Mr. and Mrs. James Beindorf Mrs. Ilona Benham Mr. and Mrs. Richard Bergeman Ms. Elizabeth Biggs Ms. Virginia Birch Ms. Elizabeth Black Ms. Barbara Blodgett Mrs. Tena Boehm Mrs. Shannon McGuire Bowman and Mr. John Bowman Mr. and Mrs. Mark Bradley Ms. Sarah Brame Ms. Pat Brier Ms. Deborah Brower Mr. and Mrs. Andrew Brown Ms. Nonie Brown Ms. Jan Browne Mr. and Mrs. David Bryan Mr. and Mrs. Robert Burr Ms. Patricia Callaghan Ms. Beverly Cambron Mrs. Peter Carney Ms. Valerie Carrese Mrs. Boots Carter Ms. Barbara Celano Mr. and Mrs. Lionel Chaikin Ms. Susan Chenault Ms. Monica Cheslak Ms. Carol Christensen Mrs. Gaila Ciccarone Mr. and Mrs. John Clifford Ms. Alice Cole Ms. Margaret Collins Complete Cleaning Service of IRC, Inc. Mrs. Eileen M. Connelly Mrs. Dottie Connolly Ms. Melanie Coppola Dr. Nicholas Coppola Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Corr Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Corr Mrs. Paul Covill Ms. Ann Egan Cronin Ms. Peggy Cunningham Mr. and Mrs. Michael Curry Ms. Susan Curtis Ms. Nancy Cutshall Mr. and Mrs. Norton A. Davidson Mrs. Sherrie Davidson Mr. and Mrs. Edward Dayton Ms. Joan Diamandis Mrs. Katharine Dickenson Mr. and Mrs. Charles Dill Mrs. Phyllis Dillon Ms. Ann Dixon Mr. and Mrs. John Doggett Mr. and Mrs. Stanley Doggett Ms. Concetta Dominianni Mr. and Mrs. Shaun Donnellan Investors (Gifts up to $499) Mrs. Valerie Dove Mr. and Mrs. William Driscoll Mr. and Mrs. Alan Dritenbas Ms. Lynn Dudgeon Mr. and Mrs. Tom DuPont Ms. Susan Durato Mrs. Lee Eggers Mr. and Mrs. Armund Ek Mr. and Mrs. Robert Elliott, Jr. Mr. and Mrs. Robert English Ms. Barbara Erege Mrs. Ann Espy Ms. Claire Evans Mr. and Mrs. Mark Falb Mr. and Mrs. Monte Falls Mr. and Mrs. Robert Ferguson Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Ferone Mr. and Mrs. H. James Field Mr. and Mrs. Lundy Fields Mr. and Mrs. Stephen Finestone Ms. Josephine Fischer Major Eric Flowers Ms. Nancy Forlines Ms. Betsy Forrester Mrs. Florence Fowlkes Ms. Laura Frick Mr. and Mrs. Theodore Frith Mr. and Mrs. Michael B. Fuller Fully Promoted Ms. Margot Funke Ms. Anita Gaston Ms. Joan Gee Mr. and Mrs. Jay Gefaell Ms. Margaret Gibbs Mr. Richard Giessert Mr. and Mrs. Walter Glazer Ms. Helen Glynn Ms. Kristi Goodnight-Challenor Ms. Shelli Gordon Ms. Nancy R. Gotfredson Ms. Janie Gould Ms. Erin Grall and Mr. Michael Bielecki Mr. and Mrs. David Griffis Mr. and Mrs. Roger Grimm Mr. and Mrs. Charles Gulino Ms. Laura Guttridge Ms. Alice Hall Mrs. George Hamner Mrs. Toni Hamner Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Harding Ms. Michele Harr Ms. Laura Harris Mr. and Mrs. Alfred Hatch Mrs. Patricia Heanue Mrs. Geraldine Heister Mr. and Mrs. Jeffrey Hennig Mr. and Mrs. Steve Higgins Ms. Grace Hinkley Mrs. Emilie Hinman Mr. and Mrs. Gerald Hobbs Mrs. Aileen Hoguet Ms. Marcia Holland Mr. and Mrs. George Howard Dr. and Mrs. A. Ronald Hudson Mr. Matthew Hultquist Mr. and Mrs. Dale Jacobs Dr. Jacqueline Jacobs Ms. Kathleen Johnson Mrs. Tommye Johnson Mr. Kent Jones and Ms. Mary Arnold Ms. Lori Josey Ms. Susan Kamer Honorable and Mrs. Paul Kanarek Ms. Diane Karper Ms. Karen Kemmerer Dr. and Mrs. Alastair Kennedy Mr. and Mrs. John Kerney Mr. and Mrs. James Kielley Mr. and Mrs. Keith Kite The Kleinschmidt Family Foundation Mr. and Mrs. William Kloppenburg Ms. Carol Koontz Mr. and Mrs. Jeff Labellarte Mr. and Mrs. Brian Lake Lakes at Waterway Mr. and Mrs. Hal Lambert Mrs. Anne Lanier Ms. Tina Laster Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth LaVine Mrs. Pud Lawrence Mr. and Mrs. T. J. Lee Mr. and Mrs. Stephen Lees Leigh Jewelers Ms. Jennifer Lennox Level 4 Telcom Mrs. Mary Lewisy Mrs. Doris Limbeek Mr. and Mrs. James Locke Ms. Cindy London Mr. and Mrs. Gary Long Ms. Christina Long Mr. and Mrs. George Long Mr. and Mrs. David Lurie Ms. Evy Lynch Ms. Lanette Lyons Mrs. Tina Lyons Mr. Paul Lytle Mr. and Mrs. Walter Macauley Ms. Debbye Mack Mrs. Mary Mackinney Mr. and Mrs. Jim Maggiacomo Marine Bank & Trust Company Ms. Rhina Marinez Ms. Susie Markert Mr. and Mrs. Joe Marshall Mr. and Mrs. Paul Martin Mr. and Mrs. Terence Martin Mrs. Christina Masseau Mr. and Mrs. Don Mayerson Ms. Julie Mcallister Mr. and Mrs. Alan McCord Ms. Carol McCoy Mrs. George McCoy Dr. and Mrs. Hugh McCrystal Mr. and Mrs. James McGee Ms. Diane G. McGinn Mr. and Mrs. Scott McGuire Mrs. Mary McKay Ms. Mary Ann McKee Ms. Nancy Bird McKown Mr. and Mrs. Gregory McLaughlin Ms. Sara McLean Ms. Lois McNamara Ms. Jane McNeil Mr. and Mrs. David McNulty Ms. Maureen Meaney Ms. Carol Meenan Ms. Brooke Megrue Ms. Brenda Melbinger Mr. and Mrs. Edwin Mellett Investors (Gifts up to $499) Ms. Ellen Mello Ms. Suzanne Mellott Ms. Joanna Meyers Mrs. Joan Miller Mr. and Mrs. Theodore Miller Mr. and Mrs. Stephen Michell Mrs. Philip Moloney The Law Offices of John E. Moore Ms. Amy Morse Ms. Dawn Morton Ms. Laura Moss Ms. Katherine Mountain Ms. Katherine Nall Ms. Terry Necarsulmer Mr. and Mrs. Edward Noland Ms. Gail Nourse Mrs. Ann Oatway Ms. Marie O’Brien Mr. and Mrs. Johnny O’Brien Mr. and Mrs. Raymond Oglethorpe Mrs. Baerbel O’Haire Mrs. Mary Orticelli Mr. and Mrs. John O’Steen Mrs. Mary Pallone Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth Parent Ms. Diane Parentela Mr. and Mrs. John Parker Ms. Priscilla Perez Ms. C. Sue Perreault Dr. and Mrs. Theodore Perry Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Peschio Ms. Jennifer Peshke Ms. Patricia Petrillo PNC Wealth Management Mr. and Mrs. Dan Pollack Ms. Gail Prauss Dr. and Mrs. E. Peter Prezzano Mr. and Mrs. Paul Prezzano Mr. and Mrs. Theodore Price Mr. and Mrs. Paul Pritchard Mr. and Mrs. Tom Ragland Ms. Donna Rana Mr. and Mrs. Robert Reisman Mr. and Mrs. Dan Richey Mrs. Bruce Rinehart Mrs. Lenora Ritchie Mr. and Mrs. Robert Ritter Mrs. Susan Roberts Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth Rocke Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Roof Ron Rennick Auctions, Inc. Ms. Barbara Rowles Ms. Lorie Rudolph Ms. Lynn Rummel Mr. Alan and Dr. Chris Ryall Ms. Jessica Sarabia Ms. Kate Saska Mr. Stanley Saska and Ms. Cindy Karlic Sassy Boutique Ms. Rochelle Scavella Mr. and Mrs. Ernie Schaaf Ms. Barbara Schadt Mrs. Christy Schlafly Mr. Jeff Schlitt, Jr. Mr. Robert Schlitt Schlitt Insurance Services Mr. and Mrs. William Schmitt Mr. and Mrs. Robert Schneider Ms. Carolyn Schrader Mrs. Suzanne Scully Mr. and Mrs. William Sedgwick Ms. Ruth Anne Seni Ms. Beverly Shea Ms. Susan Sheridan Ms. Laurie Shoemaker Ms. Leslie Simpson Ms. Lori Snow Mr. and Mrs. Michael Snyder Mr. and Mrs. P.M. Snyder Mr. and Mrs. Richard Solar Mrs. Tracy Sorzano Mr. and Mrs. James Sourbeer Mr. and Mrs. John Spilman Ms. Stephanie Squires Mrs. Barbara Stanbury Mr. and Mrs. John Stanley Mr. and Mrs. James Stasik Ms. Jessica Staudt Mr. and Mrs. Jonathon Sternberg Mr. and Mrs. Bruce Stevens Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Stiles Mrs. Martha Stinson Mr. and Mrs. Bob Stork Ms. Ann Strupp Mr. and Mrs. Byron Sugahara Ms. Allison Sullivan Mrs. Christine Talbot Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Tamoney Ms. Jessmarie Tarrats Mr. and Mrs. James Atwood Taylor Mr. and Mrs. Melvin Teetz T.E. Schlitt Engineering LLC Mr. and Mrs. Charles Thomas Mrs. Diane Tingue Ms. Mary Tomlinson Dr. Nivea Torres Mr. and Mrs. Burton Tremaine Mrs. Patsy Tremaine Mr. and Mrs. Donald Tribus Mr. and Mrs. Stevan Trooboff Ms. Karen Truettner Mr. and Mrs. John Tucker Mr. and Mrs. Peter Tulloch Ms. Marge Turpin Ms. Aggie Underwood United Way of Palm Beach United Way of Southwestern Pennsylvania Ms. Jennifer L. Vail Mr. and Mrs. Walter Vickers Ms. Marjorie Waldner Mrs. Anne Wallace Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth Walsh Ms. Cheryl Ward Ms. Annie Wettlaufer Mr. Joshua White Mr. Mark Wieleba and Mrs. Keimberlee Marcil-Wieleba Ms. Emily Wilcox Mr. Robert Wilhelm Ms. Andrea Williams Mr. and Mrs. Andrew Williams Ms. LaDonna Williams Mr. and Mrs. Mark Williams Ms. Nicole Williams Ms. Barbara Williamson Mr. and Mrs. Don M. Wilson III Mr. and Mrs. Anthony Woodruff Ms. Dorothy J. Woodward Mr. and Mrs. Michael Wright Ms. Nancy Young Ms. Kimberley Zimmermann Dr. and Mrs. Val Zudans Gifts In Kind Mr. and Mrs. Brian Barefoot Bent Pine Golf Club Community Church of Vero Beach Dale Sorensen Real Estate Mr. and Mrs. Willie Diaz Mr. and Mrs. Jim Donovan First Service Residential Indian River County Sheriff’s Office, Explorer Program Mr. and Mrs. David Israel Jetson Appliances Kidz Closet Charities Leigh Jewelers McKee Botanical Garden Ms. Maureen Nicolace Omni Financial Law Offices of Jennifer D. Peshke, PA PNC Wealth Management Rebel Hogz with a Cauz Riomar Country Club Shining Light Garden Mr. and Mrs. J. Dale Sorensen Ms. Tracy Sorzano Mr. and Mrs. Dan Stoddard Ms. Kathy Tonkel Treasure Coast Pilot Club Mr. and Mrs. Jack Veeneman Vero Beach Hotel and Spa White Orchid Spa Legacy Circle Mrs. Kathy Marshall Baker Mr. and Mrs. Brian Barefoot Mr. and Mrs. Sam Block Ms. Nancy Hopwood Kahle Foundation Kelsey Family Foundation Ms. Wanda Lincoln Mrs. Trudie Rainone Mr. and Mrs. John Spooner Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Steyer Mr. and Mrs. Jack Veeneman Ms. Linda Terry and Mr. David Utz Mr. and Mrs. Gene Waddell Mr. and Mrs. Andrew Williams Development Committee Mrs. Susan Donovan Mr. Patrick Farrah Mrs. Katy Block Healy Mrs. Barbara Horton Mrs. Tracy Sorzano Mrs. Karla Spooner Finance Committee Mr. Brian Baker Mr. James Beindorf Mrs. Susan Blaxill-Deal Mrs. Susan Donovan Mr. David Griffis Mr. Michael Kmetz Mr. Doug Mello Mr. Kyle Thurn Program Committee Mrs. Kathy Marshall Baker Mrs. Pam Barefoot Mrs. Pam Barr Mrs. Carol Buhl Mrs. Susan Donovan Mrs. Ginny Glazer Mrs. Sheryl Jones Mrs. Peggy Martin Mrs. Claudia McNulty Mrs. Joyce Parent Ms. Jennifer Vail Mrs. Sherry Waddell Starfest Co-chairs Mrs. Janet Gefaell Mrs. Suzi Shriner Volunteers Mrs. Janet Bailey Mrs. Pam Barr Mr. Bill Bryant Ms. Margaret Clelland Mrs. Martinna Dill Mrs. Glenda Floyd Mrs. Janet Gefaell Ms. Janie Gould Mrs. Janel Griffin Mrs. Christine Hammarskjold Mrs. Lexie Howard Mrs. Kathleen Johnson Ms. Mary Johnston Mrs. Sheryl Jones Ms. Jacqueline Kelley Ms. Brigit Kelly Ms. Irene Lener Ms. Lisa Marchion Mrs. Barbara Marshall Mrs. Priscilla McCord Mrs. Claudia McNulty Ms. Katherine Merlin Mrs. Barbara Morgan Ms. Amy Morse Ms. Jacqueline Murphy Ms. Maggie Okonokhua Ms. Patricia Patton Ms. Charlotte Petersen Mrs. Janet Pillard Mr. Scott Sacchi Mrs. Mickey Schaaf Ms. Darlene Scott Mrs. Suzi Shriner Mrs. Janice Streetman Ms. Roberta Sylvia Ms. Linda Terry Mr. Michael Trout Ms. Ashley Ugurtay Mrs. Sherry Waddell Leadership Message Possibility Financial Summary Contributors Back to Childcare Resources

Kimberly , Administrative Assistant, Childcare Resources School at Childcare Resources of Indian River Kimberly Martinez Administrative Assistant, Childcare Resources School Parent/Child Questions Joined Childcare Resources in Contact 772-567-3202 ext. 120 Back

Explore the impact your gift can make for children in Indian River County. YOUR GIFT EMPOWERS Ways to Give Make a Gift The need is great. If you could improve the future chances of a child to graduate from high school, or to hold a well-paying job, or to be mentally and physically healthy, which would you choose? What if you could choose all three? Investing in high-quality early education impacts the entirety of a child’s life, improving outcomes in physical health, education, social-emotional health, and employment. 1 Unfortunately, high-quality childcare is not accessible to all. In the state of Florida, it costs more to enroll an infant in childcare than to enroll a student in college. 2 Not all childcare is considered to be high-quality, either. Fewer than 300 childcare centers in Florida, roughly 7%, are accredited through the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), which promotes best practices in early education . 3 Between the high cost and low availability, it is unsurprising that up to 55% of children from economically challenged families do not attend a pre-kindergarten program. 4 Children from these families often enter kindergarten up to one full year behind their peers . 5 66% children in the state of Florida have all available parents in the workforce 3 $8,694 the annual cost of infant care in the state of Florida 3 50% children from economically challenged families that are not 'kindergarten-ready' 6 The challenge is ours. Childcare Resources works for families, subsidizing the cost of high-quality care for children in Indian River County. Care is provided at the Childcare Resources School and at four privately-owned childcare centers. All five schools are nationally accredited through NAEYC. Program parents are required to work or be enrolled in school, to be engaged in their child’s education, and to pay a small percentage of their child’s tuition. Program families also have access to a wide range of support services including educational opportunities, mental health referrals, and physical, speech, and occupational therapies. Childcare Resources works for educators, too. Local early childhood professionals are able to attend one-day workshops highlighting best practices, obtain a Florida Child Care Professional Credential or Director’s Credential, work with a coach on a one-on-one basis, and participate in networking and training opportunities. 85 ¢ of every dollar contributed supports programming 160 children provided with high-quality care in 2020-2021 216 number of local early educators that participated in outreach programs in 2020-2021 2,351 number of children potentially impacted by Childcare Resources programs in 2020-2021 We have one chance to get this right. In the first five years, a child’s brain develops rapidly, connecting as many as 1,000,000 neurons every second. 7 This period of growth is a once in a lifetime opportunity to develop social-emotional and academic skills that can last the rest of a child’s life. "My daughter is going to be amazing because of the system Childcare Resources has in place" -Program Parent, 2018 Your support of Childcare Resources helps build a community engaged in early childhood education; Where parents are able to pursue professional and educational opportunities; Where educators are well-trained and highly valued; Where the workforce is stable; And where all children, regardless of income or adversity, have the opportunity to thrive. You have the ability to improve a child’s future by investing today. Childcare Resources handles all contributions with integrity, ensuring that each gift is used as designated in a cost-effective manner to create the greatest impact. Make A Gift Ways to Give References “Research Summary: The Lifecycle Benefits of an Influential Early Childhood Program.” The Heckman Equation, 8 Feb. 2017, https://heckmanequation.org/resource/research-summary-lifecycle-benefits-influential-early-childhood-program “In 23 States, It Costs More to Send Your Child to Daycare than College.” Business Insider, 11 Apr. 2016, www.businessinsider.com/daycare-more-expensive-than-college-2016-4 “Early Childhood Education Fact Sheet: Florida.” America For Early Ed, NAEYC, americaforearlyed.org/resources/state-fact-sheets “How Much Is Too Much? The Influence of Preschool Centers on Children’s Social and Cognitive Development.” National Bureau of Economic Research, 2005. “The Current State of Knowledge on Pre-Kindergarten Effects.” Brookings, Duke Center for Child and Family Policy, 2017. “The Time Is Now: Investing Early in Our Children’s Future.” Joan Ganz Cooney Center, joanganzcooneycenter.org/2018/11/26/the-time-is-now-investing-early-in-our-childrens-future “Brain Architecture.” Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University, developingchild.harvard.edu/science/key-concepts/brain-architecture/ References

Transcripts of videos hosted on the History page of the Childcare Resources website Video Transcripts Starfest 2026 Shannon McGuire Bowman Hi, I'm Shannon. I'm the Executive Director of Childcare Resources, and I'm delighted to welcome you here to our model childcare center. Over the last 30 years, we have curated a very special program, and we refer to it often as 3 programs in 1. Our first program is the school, which is nationally accredited through NAEYC, the National Association for the Education of Young Children. Less than 7% of the childcare centers in our country have this designation. We serve a population in our community that struggle economically. They're often referred to as the ALICE population—Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed. And we also serve 20 children who are currently experiencing homelessness. Our second program makes us very unique. It's our Wellness and Early Intervention program, and this department does a whole lot of things for our families, but most importantly ensures the children who need crucial early intervention services are receiving those services and receiving them here on our campus. Our third program is our outreach program, and it's really how we are supporting the early education sector as a whole here in Indian River County with a multitude of professional learning opportunities. So, I'm so excited you're going to have the opportunity to meet one of our teachers, one of our parents, a student, and a therapist in our program so you can better understand how important our work is and how important your role is in making it all possible. So, let's head down to Miss Marilyn's classroom so you can meet our student Bailey. Marilyn Brock, Bailey's teacher Bailey is a lovely little girl, and when she came to us, she was very shy. Giorgia, Bailey's mom When she first came here, it was a little bit of an adjustment period for her. She has time with transitioning, but we quickly had resources given to us by the school that really helped Bailey acclimate well. Marilyn Brock, Bailey's teacher Professional development at Child Care Resources has helped me implement different strategies in the classroom. Bailey has greatly benefited from Conscious Discipline and the rituals and the visual schedule. Getting down on her level and building a trust relationship has helped her in connecting with adult and child conversation. Giorgia, Bailey's mom Miss Marilyn is amazing. You can tell she's been doing this a really long time. So not only did she help Bailey, but she helped me and my husband kind of like relax a little bit. She would reassure us as well. She always told us, you know, progress and how she's doing in the class. If there's anything we need to work on at home, she was really open with the communication. And then with Bailey, you can just tell she's so patient with her, really takes her time. She gets down on her level, talks one-to-one with her, and Bailey talks about Miss Marilyn all the time at home. Even on the weekends, she'll ask what Miss Marilyn is doing, and I'm like, she's probably at home relaxing. And she's like, well, can we go see her? I'm like, not today. Anne Gabor So when Bailey came to see us at Child Care Resources, it was pretty seamless. I started talking with the teacher, talked with our administrator through the Wellness and Early Intervention program, and before she even came into our door, we could have a plan for her. As soon as she came in the door, I was in the classroom myself and my other coach, um, watching Bailey, talking to her teacher, providing suggestions and recommendations and deciding what would help the classroom as a whole. Thankfully, Ms. Marilyn is very, very skilled and has a ton of experience and is great with all of her students, including Bailey, and she already kind of knew what she needed in her classroom, so we were able to support her with that. So, for Bailey, that looked like taking her out of the classroom and working with her on some of the skills she needed to be successful in the classroom and at home, with the purpose really being beyond our doors. So, we really wanted Bailey to be successful in kindergarten and beyond. It also involved us meeting with the parents here and giving them skills and tools and tips to help them at home with Bailey and with her sister. Giorgia, Bailey's mom So, Anne has, um, helped Bailey and us, me and my husband as parents. She'll give us some coaching on how to help Bailey at home and that transfers into school, and hopefully it'll also transfer into kindergarten when she starts. But she's given us techniques to help calm Bailey down, to help her with transitions, and Anne's really always been there if we needed her. We could call her or text her. I know where her office is. She's always been very open to helping us with Bailey. Anne Gabor One thing I've really loved about working at Childcare Resources is really the capacity to collaborate. So, I've never been part of a team where we have the administration, we have the parents and teachers and other therapists just so readily available, and it really sets the stage for effective intervention services to help everybody meet the student where they are and to help them succeed long-term in the future. Giorgia, Bailey's mom Childcare Resources is a really special place to us and our family. We really appreciate having both of our kids here. It's been night and day, and I don't know what we would do without this school. Shannon McGuire Bowman And if you were going to tell somebody why they should come see the school, why should they come see the school? Bailey Because, because my friends just come there. Yeah, it's a good place. Shannon McGuire Bowman All right, well, we would love for you to come take a tour, meet Bailey and her friends, and see our mission in action that you make possible. Starfest 2023 Dr. Helen Johnson, Board member I have lived here for almost 20 years and I knew about Childcare Resources really, sort of, from the get-go, but I did not begin to appreciate the scope and scale and quality of the work that this organization does. It is, it is amazing. It's not just the children who are here on this campus or the children who are in our partner facilities. It is the work we're doing with the other educators in this community who come here for workshops and for continuing learning. Katy Healy, former Board member When you walk into a classroom and you see the smiling faces and you see these children who come together and spend a lot of their time together here at this school, you can see why this organization is so important. Brian Barefoot, community stakeholder The kids that come from Childcare Resources into kindergarten are well ahead of most of the other kids. And so it's pretty obvious that whatever goes on in this building is having a major impact on these children. Shannon McGuire Bowman, Executive Director We have been continually asking the question, how can we do early education better in this community? So that means looking at the decades of research and brain science that very clearly demonstrate what a child needs in order to develop optimally. And then reimagining, re-envisioning what early education could be. So taking that framework of knowledge and then taking a look at what's happening here in our community and finding ways to slowly bring these two things together. Tracy Sorzano, Board member I think the most important work we do is directly with our children and families. You know, from birth to age five, it's such a crucial time for development. Early childhood education and high-quality early childhood education is critical to make sure that children have an equal chance to grow and thrive in life. And what we do here is to really help support that, provide the foundation and the underpinnings of that growth and development, and provide a wonderful safe space for children to learn and thrive. Wanda Lincoln, community stakeholder It isn't just creating an environment so kids are kindergarten-ready. It's creating a heart for them that they're capable. That's the most important thing because you can do anything if you think you're capable. My hope is that they stay inspired. Shannon McGuire Bowman, Executive Director My hope is that more children and families in our community can access high quality early education programs. Jim Beindorf, Board chair My hope is we can continue to impact as many kids as possible because at the end of the day, that's what's going to impact the future. They're going to be down the road where you have to lean on them some way or another. In these informative years, laying that foundation is extremely important, so my hope is we continue to do that. Again, we just keep finding those kids and those opportunities and not let them slip behind. Shannon McGuire Bowman, Executive Director We're always researching best practice and what's out there and trying to bring the very best to the children of this community. And we're only able to do that with so many people in the community investing in what we do. So we are so grateful for all of our donors, our volunteers, our Board of Directors for giving their time and talent and investing in this work and this very important, very serious work here in our community. Classroom students We wish you well. We wish you well. All through the day today, we wish you well. All through the day today, we wish you well. Starfest 2026 Starfest 2023 Starfest 2021 Shannon McGuire Bowman, Executive Director Over the last decade, Childcare Resources has experienced tremendous growth in order to help better serve children and families, but also to better serve the early childhood education community at large here in Indian River County. When we opened our doors in 1994, we served 25 children. Today, our childcare program is serving 157 children. And through our outreach programming, Childcare Resources is impacting more than 3,000 young children. The pandemic has taught us how resilient our staff, parents, and children can be. To say that 2020 was a tough year would be an understatement, but we will take the lessons learned, the challenges we faced, and use these experiences to shape 2021 and beyond. In the fall of 2019, our Board of Directors approved a new three-year strategic plan to continue and strengthen our work. Three priority areas were determined, focused on improving the lives of those we serve. The three priority areas are mental health, program expansion, and community awareness. During this past year, we found much of this work more relevant than ever. Today, you will see a glimpse of how our programming is impacting the community through stories told by two board members, a teacher, a parent, and a physical therapist. You will also hear from a few of our former Starfest speakers about their experience learning about our program. We look forward to when we can safely gather together, and until then, please know that we continue our work. We know that providing high-quality early education is more important than ever before. Thank you for making this work possible. Karla Spooner, member, Board of Directors I've been involved with Childcare Resources for over 10 years now. I was first attracted by the children. Let's face it, I was a grandchild-less woman, and here were all these beautiful children who were being given the brighter future their parents wanted for them. At the same time, Childcare was a small preschool in leased space. Under the direction of Shannon McGuire Bowman, a capital campaign was undertaken, resulting in a new state-of-the-art school with room for additional children. At the same time, the faculty was being certified by NAEYC, the highest level of preschool certification. So much of this was made possible by the fabulous leadership of Shannon, but also through the help of all of you. Your financial support and enthusiasm for Childcare allowed the capital campaign to be completed successfully and provided the resources for the staff to start considering how to help the hundreds of preschool children in the county who aren't fortunate enough to attend our school. Elizabeth Huntley, Starfest 2018 Speaker Hello, my name is Liz Huntley, and I am an attorney and a child advocate, and author of More Than A Bird. I'm particularly proud of everything that Childcare Resources has accomplished, from its NAEYC certification to the credentialing that's provided through its local partnership with this community college. And most incredible, the expansion of its campus to provide additional classroom settings for children from homeless families. It's an incredible program. It's quite a hub of the importance of high-quality early childhood intervention. I know a little bit about that because I was one of those children. I was a child born of drug-dealing parents in poverty. Mother committed suicide, dad in and out of jail. But it was the intervention of an early childhood program that God used to save my life and to help shape me into who I am today, and is why I so adamantly go across this country to support programs like Childcare Resources. It is truly a game changer. Susan Donovan, member, Board of Directors As a retired Minnesota Elementary Principal with 40 years of educational experience, I share with you that I have seen a lot of quality education, and I am passionate about the level of care that Childcare Resources provides children and families here in Indian River County. The teachers and staff are trained in the brain science of early learning, and they recognize the great value of building connections through actions, words, play, and building relationships between child to child and child to adult. When you see the miracle of a brand-new baby that is only minutes old making eye contact with its mother and then attempting to imitate the facial gestures of its mother, you understand that a child begins to learn at birth. Our teachers here at Childcare Resources are providing not only learning opportunities for the child's brain to grow and build those synaptic connections, but they also find those important teachable moments that appear in everyday curriculum activities that lets you know the child's curious mind is ready for more input. Emily Wilcox, program parent My name is Emily Wilcox, and my daughter, Winnie Wilcox, has attended Childcare Resources for three years. When I started looking for childcare options, I was really looking for somewhere that worked with my schedule, and I wanted somewhere that was going to be reliable and consistent, as well as somewhere that really advocated for my child's education and her health. When I started looking for a program and was told about Childcare Resources, all my prayers were answered, and I was so excited to learn that my daughter was accepted into Childcare Resources. Having my daughter attend Childcare Resources has really benefited me, both individually and professionally. Being a single mom, I think of Childcare Resources as my better half, and it's been a huge help knowing that they're always going to be there for me. The staff are always checking in and making sure I have everything that I need for myself and for my daughter. It has helped me professionally since I have been working and was able to advance in my career. And since Winnie has been at Childcare Resources, I have received promotions and grown professionally. And just knowing that I have her taken care of and don't have to worry about her education and what she's going to be doing while I'm at work has really been something that gives me peace of mind. I know that she has just such a great family at her school that really helps her educationally and advocates for me and for her. Susan Donovan, member, Board of Directors It doesn't stop there. Outreach. Childcare Resources is the hub for teacher training in Indian River County. World class presenters and trainers are brought in to full-day Saturday sessions with the financial help of local grants. Teachers across our county receive best practice in teaching and learning techniques, which in turn improves the quality of childcare at all of the participating preschool centers. Childcare Resources coaches follow up with the teachers at the different centers to build upon their learning and help them to polish their teaching techniques. Because of an Impact 100 grant, a cooperative program with Indian River State College and Childcare Resources was born. Teachers that do not have the preschool certification can join a cohort and complete the appropriate classes necessary for certification. And now, preschool directors also have the opportunity to earn their director's certification with this collaboration. And it's the hope that Childcare Resources can extend the education opportunity to an AA degree and on for these teachers. It is truly amazing and remarkable to know what takes place here at Childcare Resources. And now, through the Homeless Foundation of Indian River County grant, additional children with high needs are welcome to our school. Sadie Collet, Childcare Resources educator I graduated from Eastern Kentucky University with a Bachelor's degree in Child and Family Studies. I've been working in early education for about four and a half years now. I've been working as a teacher in early education centers for about two and a half years. Childcare Resources offers professional development for all the early educators in our community. They provide four a year. These seminars help me bring new resources into the classroom, to help my children develop across the board, from cognitive to social emotional development. My favorite professional development opportunity was probably our Conscious Discipline seminar. It was really fun, really engaging. And the Childcare Resources School utilizes the Conscious Discipline curriculum, and myself being relatively new to that curriculum, it was a great opportunity for me to learn more on how to better support my children through Conscious Discipline. I love having the resources of education coaches here at Childcare Resources. They do a lot of modeling on best practices when interacting with children, and I'm really able to take in the way they interact and find the best way for me to use those strategies when I'm working with the children. They also provide resources for us, be it materials or information specific to the needs of my classroom. I've been able to take advantage of a pilot program here at Childcare Resources and I have started to work towards my Master's degree in early educational Leadership. I'm really excited about this opportunity. It's a big professional goal for me. Everything that I'm able to take advantage of, the awesome programs here at Childcare Resources helped me in the classroom in countless ways. I'm able to go out and learn more about best practice, which is always changing, and I'm able to bring these strategies and activities back into the classroom to meet them at the level of their developmental needs. Susan Donovan, member, Board of Directors This school provides a whole child learning education. When it was recognized that some of the children needed additional physical, emotional, social therapy and that the parents weren't often able to take their child to outside school therapy sessions, Childcare Resources brought the therapist to the school. Children could get the additional learning they needed. During the school day, teachers were given specific techniques to use in the classroom and parents were given ideas to use at home. Because parents are involved in their child's learning, they are better prepared to navigate public school when their child begins kindergarten. Success comes full circle when everyone works together for the betterment of the child. Livya Barreirinhas, MSPT (Pediatric Physical Therapist) I've been here at Childcare Resources for about eight years and the program always caught my attention. I've been a healthcare professional, physical therapist for about 18 years now. And there was always something unique coming from the teachers to the patient care coordinator to everything they had to offer here. It was truly a place that I loved coming to and working with the kids. It's almost that dream come true for a healthcare professional. Here at Child Care Resources, we really, truly have an interdisciplinary program. It starts with the teachers. We're always in the classroom. We're always talking about normal development. They come and they talk to us. "Oh, that child. Do you think they might need physical therapy or do you think they're age appropriate for their age and their motor skills?" And from there, we start our screening process. We have a child coordinator here. She calls the parents, asks the parents if they have any concerns, and that the healthcare professional did see something that brought to their attention that there could be a potential developmental delay. They need services. We have everything we need to provide that services right here. We have our gym, we have all of our equipment, which you don't find anyplace else. Calyx, in my mindset, and I think I speak for a lot of us here, is really our star child. Calyx really had a rough start and, you know, our hearts were broken for him. But Calyx wasn't even walking at 14 months old. He wasn't even crawling at 14 months old. He was scooting on his bottom at 14 months old. And he didn't really have any developmental skills at that point. But I think we all saw something in him that if he had the right tools, he would really flourish. And that's exactly what happened. Calyx has been in the program for about a year now. He is running all over the place. He is going upstairs. So what we see here truly makes a difference. Dr. Bertice Berry, Starfest 2019 speaker It's Dr. Bertice Berry, and I just want to tell you thank you for all that you're doing with Childcare Resources. Several years ago, I got to meet the amazing people and the amazing work that they do, and it truly changed my life. Even though I don't live in that community, it has affected every way I think about children and essential workers and the children of those essential workers, the way they teach and lead and guide is second to none. I brought home a lot of that. Here's my little star, Elena, my granddaughter, who now I use those same principles and guiding lights and information and ideas to make sure that she is okay. When our children are okay, our community is okay. And when the children of our essential workers are okay, the world is a better place. This little light of mine? I'm gonna let it shine? You gonna sing? Go ahead. This little light of mine I'm gonna let it shine? This little light of mine? Come on, star. Elena I'm gonna let it shine? Dr. Bertice Berry, Starfest 2019 speaker Let it shine, let it shine? Let it jazz hands shine. I love you. Thank you. Elena Hello. Emily Wilcox, program parent We have participated in a lot of after school activities with childcare resources together as well as myself. I've done the parent cafe, which helps me learn some tools that I could bring home that benefit her growth and development. The parent cafe brings other parents together and helps us learn different things with our child's education as well as with different tools that we can utilize with budgeting and managing time. And it has really been helpful being part of that and also just feeling connected to the school and to the parents and the staff. Since my daughter has been at Childcare Resources, the staff has been so helpful being a single mom and reaching out and making sure that I have all the tools and support that I need and advocated for me and have helped me, you know, seek counseling and referrals with the Mental Health Association to make sure that I have all the things that I need. Being a single mom is very difficult, sometimes, and it's just been very helpful. But I just feel really confident knowing that she's in a place that is safe and really cares about her health and her education. And I honestly think that I don't know what I would do without Childcare Resources. Dr. Becky Bailey, Starfest 2020 speaker Hi everyone. I want to again just honor what you do down there. Often we think TMI means too much information. But this little kid the other day got so upset when he raised his hand and a little girl answered for him. He went, “TMI! TMI!” And the teacher wisely said, “What do you think TMI means?” And he said, “Took my idea!” And your idea of how you collaborate within your communities and how you support every child in your neighborhood, in your area, in your county is such a model for the world that I hope whole world TMI - takes that idea - and runs with it. Thanks again for all you do. Susan Donovan, member, Board of Directors I've only begun to scratch the surface of the great value this center plays in the daily lives of so many children in our great county. Grateful thanks to the many donors that make this possible. I personally believe that what takes place here should be a model for preschool centers across our great country. Karla Spooner, member, Board of Directors My 10-year enthusiasm has been sustained and nourished by several things. As a friend of mine said recently, “Of all the children's organizations in the county, I like Childcare Resources the best. They always do everything right.” And now they are taking their expertise outside of our classrooms into schools in the county through teacher coaches and teacher training. With their dedication for providing the best education possible. In a short time, there will hardly be a child in our county whose life isn't impacted by Childcare Resources. Students My name's Rashad and I'm five years old and I want to be a policeman. My name is Zachary and I'm five years old and I would like to be an engineer. My name is Samita. I'm five years old and I would like to be a nurse. My name's Bella I'm four years old and I want to be a ballerina. My name is Joseph. I want to be artist. My name is Nolan. I'm five years old and I would like to be a fireman. My name is Maddox. I'm five years old and I would like to be a lifeguard. Students [chanting together] Our hands say, "thank you" with a clap-clap-clap. Our feet say, 'thank you' with a tap-tap-tap. Our hearts say, 'thank you' with a beat-beat-beat. Clap-clap-clap, tap-tap-tap, beat-beat-beat. I love you. Calix's Story Livya Barreirinhas, MSPT (Pediatric Physical Therapist) I've been here at Childcare Resources for about eight years, and the program always caught my attention. I've been a healthcare professional, physical therapist for about 18 years now. And there was always something unique coming from the teachers to the patient care coordinator to everything they had to offer here. It was truly a place that I loved coming to and working with the kids. It's almost that dream come true for a healthcare professional. Here at Childcare Resources, we really, truly have an interdisciplinary program. It starts with the teachers. We are always in the classroom. We are always talking about normal development. They come and they talk to us. ‘Oh, that child. Do you think they might need physical therapy or do you think they're age appropriate for their age and their motor skills?’ And from there, we start our screening process. We have a child coordinator here to call the parents, ask the parents if they have any concerns and that the healthcare professional did see something that brought to their attention that there could be a potential developmental delay. They need services. We have everything we need to provide that services right here. We have our gym. We have all of our equipment, which you don't find anyplace else. Calix, in my mindset, and I think I speak for a lot of us here, is really our star child. Calix really had a rough start, and our hearts were broken for him. But Calix wasn't even walking at 14 months old. He wasn't even crawling at 14 months old. He was scooting on his bottom at 14 months old. And he didn't really have any developmental skills at that point. But we, I think, we all saw something in him that if he had the right tools, he would really flourish. And that's exactly what happened. Calix has been in the program for about a year now. He is running all over the place. He is going upstairs. So what we see here truly makes a difference. Calix's Story 25th Anniversary Video Transcript Shannon McGuire Bowman, Executive Director, Childcare Resources of Indian River: For 25 years Childcare Resources has been changing the lives of children and families in our community. The organization is built upon a very strong foundation and that foundation starts with our three founders. They were early childhood educators themselves so they deeply understood what children and parents need in order to prepare a child, not only for kindergarten but for life. Kathy Marshall, Founding Member, Childcare Resources of Indian River: From 1988 to 2001, I was the Pre-K Coordinator for the early intervention program which was a school district program. This was a pre-k program that was designed for the free lunch students in the school district. One of the things that became very apparent to me as I would register children for this program, was the fact that many of them were overqualified. I had these conversations with Sandy Kahle and Sherry Waddell and together I think we pretty much determined that there was this whole segment of the population that needed services and couldn't get them. These families weren't well off and therefore they couldn't, they couldn't afford a quality program for their children even though they were working. Sandy Kahle, Founding Member, Childcare Resources of Indian River: We did a draft of a program that we thought would be helpful and we presented it first to the County Commission and then we presented it to the school board. Developing the mission of Childcare Resources was really one of the very easiest things because the words and the philosophy of it were right there in the NAEYC, National Association for Education of Young Children, literature and we had three centers: Community Preschool, Learning Nest, and Maitland Farm Preschool, and later we added Nanny's. By the fall of '94, we hired a Family Resource Coordinator. She worked with families. She helped them with housing issues, with mental health issues, education, with work issues. She was a wonderful support to the families which, then in turn, gave support to the children. And so it all came together with the children in the middle, family support on the one hand and center support, in terms of training, on the other. And the basis of it all was the community. Sherry Waddell, Founding Member, Childcare Resources of Indian River: One of the main missions of Childcare Resources was to have quality preschool, and we felt the best way to provide for that quality was for our schools to be accredited with national accreditation, which was NAEYC. So that was one of the standards that we required of our preschools and contracting centers. The priorities of those that I felt were very important were teacher-child ratio, parent involvement, the curriculum provided through accreditation, so that was a priority of any of the contracting centers, that they would have to, within a certain period of time, get their accreditation through NAEYC. Childcare Resources today is providing for our teachers throughout the county three and four workshops annually. Some of the training has been in STEM, math, fine motor and Conscious Discipline. The exciting thing in the present, 25 years later, is that these standards are still being met. The teacher training, parent involvement. We have opened our own school. I have to say to have been in the beginning of it; It is so exciting and just a wonderful thing to know that we are providing this need in our County. Shannon McGuire Bowman, Executive Director, Childcare Resources of Indian River: Over the years, there have been multiple individuals who have served as a member of our Board of Directors. Their work, vision, and investment in Childcare Resources inspires those of us who are currently working or volunteering on behalf of the mission. The human brain Is built over time and from the bottom up. This process begins before birth and goes well into adulthood. This is why quality early childhood education is so important. Sabrina Reese, 2006 Program Parent: I always wanted to have my child to be somewhere where they could get a good start and I know how important that is. I found Childcare Resources through the United Way. Everyone was very, very helpful, helping us get into the program where normally, someone being a working parent like I was, never really qualified for assistance or anything like that. So that was very instrumental for me being able to get her in there and get that good start. The most important thing was the, the teachers that were in place at Community Preschool when she was there. They were caring, and, and they were knowledgeable, and they connected with the children. Jayla made connections with her preschool teachers that she still remembers today. When she entered into kindergarten, she was more than prepared. Jayla Brown, Former Student: I go to Oslo Middle. I play for Oslo Middle basketball team. Right now, my favorite subject is math. I want to join the Navy SEAL program. Sabrina Reese, 2006 Program Parent: Having, getting comfort knowing that there are well-rounded organizations that are out there to help young kids, you know, get a start, so that they can learn to love education, to love learning. You know, to make it to where it's not a chore. Coming in here today, has just pumped that up in me and, oh man, look at all this stuff that these young kids can learn and go and grow and I love it. Tom Patrick, 1994 Program Parent: Early '90s, at that time I was a single father, uh, had no clue what I was doing, and Dominic and I needed help. Childcare Resources provided me with the foundation that I needed to know that I could, I could do this. Childcare Resources was there for emotional support, financial support, and directed me in a perfect direction, so I could try to parent as to the best of my ability at such a young age. Childcare Resources gave me what I call the foundation for me to be able to succeed and for my child, most importantly, to succeed and grow up and become a, uh, a phenomenal human being. He flourished at Nanny's. He became more self-confident at Nanny's. He became more social-interactive. Life lessons for him as he started to figure it out in his formative years, which gave me peace of mind and gave me even more confidence. And all you want is for your child to have a chance at a good life. He is now 26 years old. He graduated from college over two years ago, head of marketing at Tropic Ocean Airways, which is a seaplane company in Fort Lauderdale. I couldn't have asked for a better child. Shannon McGuire Bowman, Executive Director, Childcare Resources of Indian River: In our first year of service, Childcare Resources reached 24 children throughout our community. Today, we're reaching thousands of children through our school, our contracting schools, and our outreach programs, including our professional development workshops, coaching, and early childhood educator credentialing program. Over the next few years, we're going to be focusing on three main areas. Raising awareness for the benefits of high-quality early childhood education, because all children need access to a high-quality learning environment. We're also going to be working towards strengthening and expanding our current programming to support the early childhood community. And, finally, we will be working towards maintaining and growing our funding and focusing on sustainability so Childcare Resources can be here for generations to come. Childcare Resources has proven over the last 25 years that when children and families are given access to high-quality early childhood learning experiences, they not only thrive in school, but they thrive in life. 25th Anniversary Program Video (2018) Transcript Alison Armstrong, Program Parent, Childcare Resources of Indian River Childcare Resources helped me, personally, because I was a single mom, working part-time, struggling to find a babysitter every other day so I could try to work. And when she started here, I was able to finally make the money that I needed and be able to support her myself and be able to get her into a better education program. Shannon McGuire Bowman, Executive Director, Childcare Resources of Indian River We currently have 124 children in our program. 70 of those children are at our school, and the other children are at our contracting centers spread throughout the county. Our school and the contracting schools that we work with have their national accreditation and we do this to ensure that the children in our program receive the very best care. Our national accreditation is through NAEYC – the National Association for the Education of Young Children – and it is truly the gold standard, best practice for early education. We have a very successful program, and that’s not only because of the wonderful academic component that we have, or that we’re addressing the children’s social-emotional needs. I think one of the biggest reasons for our success is the support that we give our parents. Everyone on our staff is here for our parents in any way that we can be helpful. Four times a year, we host parent success workshops with a variety of topics that are of interest to our parents. The topics we cover include things about healthy habits, sleep, nutrition, teaching early literacy skills in a fun way with your children. Childcare Resources has had amazing growth the last five years, and we’ve done so by looking at the needs of the early education community here in Indian River County and coming up with innovative, research-based programs that really meet the needs of our community. We strive to be the hub for high-quality early education. We provide additional services that touch children throughout Indian River County whether they are in the Childcare Resources program or not. In fact, our footprint has grown and we now reach about 4,200 children. Each year, we provide four professional development workshops open to any early educator here in Indian River County at no cost to them. With grant funding, we’ve been able to bring in experts in the field of early education from all over the country. Typically, 150 to 200 early educators attend each of these workshops. Two years ago, we wanted to expand our professional development program, and we did so by adding a coaching component. We now have two early education coaches on our staff who can go to any childcare center in our community who requests it and help implement the strategies learned at our professional eveleopment workshop. Our coaches also help with any other needs that the teachers may have in the classroom, such as classroom management or curriculum development. These ladies are hands-on, boots-on-the-ground in preschool classrooms all over our community modeling best practice in early education. Stephanie Herrera, Director, Roseland Christian Preschool Well, the collaborative partnership with Childcare Resources has helped our school, and the teachers, the parents, the children, everybody, because it’s an opportunity for them to bring quality into what they do in the classrooms, and that’s extremely important. At our preschool, Roseland Christian Preschool, we have ten teachers and all of the teachers participate in the trainings that Childcare Resources offer. Again, that instills the quality into the program for us. The teachers learn so much, they bring it back, they share the knowledge. One of the trainings Childcare Resources has provided for the teachers in the county is Conscious Discipline. The teachers come back to the classroom, and I always find something new that they’ve implemented, and I’m just so proud of that. I know that they’re listening, and they’re getting it, and they’re sharing it. It’s so important, the children must learn to get along with their peers in a structured environment, so I can’t say it enough – parents need to send their children to preschool. By the time they get to kindergarten, they’ve missed all of that. Shannon McGuire Bowman, Executive Director, Childcare Resources of Indian River Last year, we were awarded a grant through Impact 100 to begin a transformational program. We created a way for early educators to earn their staff credential in a unique way. In partnership with Indian River State College, we created a program to allows early educators to earn their staff credential in a fast and easy way. We recently celebrated graduation for our first twelve graduates. Kelly Bowen, Assistant Teacher, Roseland Christian Preschool I teach, my classroom in the morning, I have about 14 children and that’s the three-year-old class, and then in the afternoon, we have about 18 children, and that’s our VPK class. The skills that I have learned have definitely made me a better teacher. One of the trainings that I went to, it was about music and movement and getting them more involved and using more of their body, actually, you know, widens their minds. The C.P.E.E. program was seventeen weeks, and it was three days a week. You did two classes the first few weeks, and then you did two classes at the end and your practicum and, um, any of that would have taken probably close to two years to try and get. I was able to take everything that I learned in the credentialing program and bring it back to the classroom that Monday. Shannon McGuire Bowman, Executive Director, Childcare Resources of Indian River Early education is not just about academic programming. If we want our children to thrive, they have to be healthy. This is the reason we started our new wellness program this year. We now have a registered nurse on our staff who’s meeting with each of our families as they enter the program and helping them to navigate the healthcare system to ensure that all of their needs are being met whether that be dental, mental health, physical, immunizations. Our wellness coordinator also helps those families when their children need additional therapies. In fact, we find about 20 percent of the children in our program are in need of these additional therapies such as speech, occupational, behavioral, and mental health. So we found that many of our families were having a hard time getting their children to therapy during the workday, because our families are working full-time or going to school full-time. So that was the reason we built out two state-of-the-art therapy rooms on our campus, so now the therapists come to our campus and the children receive these essential services while they’re with us throughout the day. None of this would be possible without the dedication and leadership of our Board of Directors, volunteers, and generous supporters. Alison Armstrong, Program Parent, Childcare Resources of Indian River We found out about the center through a family. Sierra was not even a year old and she definitely has grown immensely since the beginning of it all. Every single milestone has pretty much happened here. At the beginning, it was a little bit more rough, just because it’s always been me and her every day. Even at the time, I wasn’t working full time, but because of her being able to come here, I was able to go to work full-time and actually go back to school. She’s learning to read now. She’s got her alphabet down, her numbers. Without Childcare Resources, I would have never been able to afford any type of daycare by myself. 2018 Program Video Program Video (2017) Transcript Maileigh Duong, Program Parent It means a lot for me for Ava to be a part of Childcare Resources. For her to go somewhere every day while I’m at work, and I don’t have to worry about her, it means a lot. The two most important things about the program that I enjoy is how much everyone really cares about her. It’s kind of like a family. And then all of the staff work really with me with my schedule and, when the income guidelines change and everything. Everyone’s really welcoming and helpful. When I pick her up, I ask her how her day was and she’ll tell me about the songs or whatever they’re learning, so I always learn what they’re learning through her. And it’s nice, when I come into the classroom, to be able to see the classroom decorated and the thing that she talked to me about, so I can conversate with her about it. For all of the people that support Childcare Resources, I would just like them to know that every parent here, I’m sure, appreciates it more than they can imagine. The amount that we pay, compared to what you’d pay at another daycare, yet still have the exceptional teachers, staff, new playground. It means the world. I can only imagine what everyone else feels, especially parents with more than one child here. The transition from the old school to the new school has been great. It allows the kids to have more space. I like the locked-door system, it makes me feel a little more comforting that not just anyone can walk in. It’s a beautiful facility, and I know they have more rooms available for more children. I can’t wait to see it fill up. I was on the waitlist. I put her on right after I had her and, honestly, I was going to take two or three months anyways, so I think I had to wait a couple more weeks. At three months, I wasn’t sure what to expect. I was a new mom with my first child, but when I got to the classroom and saw that they were very strict with her schedule and worked on simple things like sitting up - it was a relief to me that someone was actually interacting with her and trying to help her improve. Ava’s vocabulary is much further than some kids that she does play with that isn’t a part of this school. And she catches on to things a lot quicker than some of the other kids her age. I like to think that it has to do with the school. I ask the teachers what they’re working on, and try to implement it at home as well. As a parent, I enjoy the classes they offer. They’re not the same, so every time you go to one it’s a little different and I think it’s pretty broad for all the parents in the school. I enjoy coming in to do the volunteer hours with the make-and-take and the crafts that they do and I occasionally even take the laundry home to wash. Washing a load of laundry or coming in for some volunteer hours is nothing compared to what I’d be paying going to another school. I tell Ava everyday that we’re going to school. I don’t tell her we go to daycare, because I think they do a great job of teaching her. They’re just not babysitting her, she’s just not sitting there for the day. They try to increase her vocabulary. They work with her with her colors. I don’t think I’d be happy if she was sitting in a school where she wasn’t doing anything and just watching television. I like the fact that there are no televisions in the school. There’s no watching TV, that they do all interaction. I just think that it’s going to make her transition into real school smoother. She’s going to be used to following a set of rules, doing activities with the class, singing songs together, It’s a major relief that I can take Ava to school and not have to worry about ‘I need to go get a second job to cover her schooling for her to have a great education.’ So the investment on my behalf is nothing compared to the investment of the people who donate. 2017 Program Video Top of Page 2018 Program Video 25th Anniversary 2017 Program Video Calix's Story Starfest 2026 Starfest 2023 Starfest 2021