Working Together Grant Provides Funding to Pleasant View Early Learning
Aided by funding from a Working Together grant from the Kosciusko County Community Foundation, Pleasant View Early Learning opened its doors in August, 2022.
The six-week-through-preschool child care expands options for local parents, particularly those needing year-round care for their youngest children. Students thrive in homey classrooms, on a brightly colored playground and surrounded by experienced educators – an environment Cameron and Anh (Pham) Colby and their son, Paxton, have come to value.
When the Colbys moved to the area in 2020, they prioritized placing their son in a safe, socially rich child care. “Paxton had been at home for the first year of his life, due to COVID,” Cameron said. “After touring Early Learning, we knew it was going to be a good environment. He needed the structure and socialization Early Learning provides.”
More concerning to Cameron and Anh was Paxton’s reluctance to express himself verbally. Even though he was almost two, he had not started speaking yet. “He only wanted to be around us and even avoided other family members,” Anh said. “At first, it was hard to give up our son and go to work each day, knowing how upset he was going to be,” she added.
But Cameron and Anh’s concerns were quickly assuaged. “We care for these students in the way we’d want our own kids to be cared for,” said Emily Demske, child care director at Early Learning. “We want every child to be treated like family.”
Early Learning’s staff assured Cameron and Anh that Paxton only needed time. Under the attentive care of Early Learning, Paxton soon spoke in full sentences, discovered a love for art, music, playing outdoors, making friends, and learning the alphabet.
“Early Learning’s teachers have watched Paxton grow. They know his behaviors and love and care for him as well as we do,” said Anh. “It’s a huge relief to be able to set those concerns aside so we can do our jobs. We come home knowing that he’s happy during the day,” Anh explained.
Early Learning hopes to further expand their program. Helped by funding from the Community Foundation and other donors, they strive to make high-quality child care more affordable and accessible, putting peace of mind within reach for as many local families as possible.