April is Month of the Young Child: Children’s Enrichment Center inspires a love of learning

When Bailey LoFiego, a junior majoring in allied health sciences, heads to her job as an assistant teacher at GVSU's Children’s Enrichment Center, she is sometimes nostalgic. 

LoFiego was not quite 3 years old when she started attending the center.

"When I was a little kid, we would walk around campus like you’ll see the CEC kids do now," she said. "Now I’m working here as one of the adults I looked up to as a kid."

The Children’s Enrichment Center is more than a day care. Erin Korte, interim director, explained how CEC staff and student employees make learning something that children look forward to. 

“It’s so much play-based learning, making it fun for the children so they enjoy coming here," Korte said. "That also fuels their passion for learning.” 

The CEC provides three different programs: preschool classes, before- and after-school care, and summer care. Preschool classes are offered to children ages 2.5 to 5 years old. 

Korte said preschool classes follow a research-based curriculum with a foundation in play-based discovery learning. The curriculum prioritizes whole-child development, which includes cognitive, social, emotional, physical and behavioral needs. The children’s interests influence the weekly focuses and learning objectives in the classroom. 

The Big Lakers program provides before- and after-school care to children ages 5-12. Allendale Public Schools provides transportation to and from the center, where Big Lakers receive breakfast and an after-school snack. The center offers summer care beginning in June and features weekly themes providing opportunities for the children to learn through activities and field trips in Allendale and Grand Rapids. 

Early childhood education leads to college degrees

Korte said that students with early childhood education are more likely to pursue a college degree.

"Research shows that students who go into early education are more likely to continue their education and be successful. So much learning can happen at that age, and you can never get that time back,” she said. 

The CEC creates a space where children have positive associations with learning. They participate in play-based and hands-on learning with friends, while getting the chance to explore the things that interest them. Fostering a genuine enjoyment of learning means children are more excited about learning in the future, Korte said. 

“We build a really strong sense of community around education,” she said. “Our teachers are super passionate about education, about getting kids engaged and excited about learning. I think that's really beautiful.”

Campus partners play key roles

To foster its community, the CEC partners with a variety of campus departments. 

For example, students in a health and physical education class regularly observe a preschool classroom, then host young Lakers at the Fieldhouse to work on movement activities. Through a partnership with the Department of Music, Theatre, and Dance, children participate in developmentally appropriate dance activities. The School of Communications gives presentations and creates activities about various health topics for older children. 

Each class is taught by a lead teacher and supported by 20 undergraduate students from a variety of majors.

“Majors like nursing, medicine, psychology and social work are certainly child-centered. We find these varying perspectives bring our students a better education,” said Korte. 

LoFiego said she enjoys seeing how much the children grow in the span of a year. Her time at the CEC has influenced her plans to attend graduate school and become a pediatric physician assistant. 

“I’ve always wanted to do something involving kids. As I got older, I realized that I also wanted to do something in the medical field," she said. 

— Sofia Ellis, a senior majoring in writing, is a student writer for University Communications.