Page 34 - BusinessWest August 8, 2022

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EARLY EDUCATION & CHILD CARE FACILITIES
RANKED BY CAPACITY
CREATIVE KIDS INC.
1251 East Mountain Road, Westfield, MA 01085 (413) 568-9822; www.creativekidswestfield.com
WOODSIDE CHILDREN’S CENTER
155 Woodside Ave., Amherst, MA 01002
(413) 253-2604; www.woodsidechildrenscenter.org
CENTER
ARMORY SQUARE CHILD CARE INC.
One Armory Square, Springfield, MA 01105; (413) 755-4955 www.stcc.edu/studentservices/childcare.asp
CAPACITY AND AGES
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33 months to KG
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6 weeks to 6 years
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3 months to 7 years
65
2 years, 9 months to 12 years
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Infant to 8 years
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2 months to 5 years
20
33 months to 6 years
HOURS
7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
8a.m.to5p.m.
7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
ADMINI- STRATOR
Ann Rogalski
Frances Frere Sherri Morini
Susan Dexter
SERVICES
18 LONGMEADOW MONTESSORI INTERNATIONALE 777 Longmeadow St., Longmeadow, MA 01106 (413) 567-1820; www.longmeadowmontessori.org
20 BRIGHTERBEGINNINGS
411 Granby Road, South Hadley, MA 01075 (413) 532-5303; www.brighterbeginningcc.com
22 SIDE BY SIDE PRESCHOOL & CHILD CARE CENTER 27 Streiber Dr., Chicopee, MA 01020
(413) 532-2388; www.sidebysidepreschool.com
24 HAMPSHIRECOLLEGEEARLYLEARNINGCENTER 893 West St., Amherst, MA 01002; (413) 559-5706 www.hampshire.edu/elc/the-early-learning-center
Eureka!
Continued from page 31
Rivera-Colón, board chair for Girls Inc. of the Valley. “When we talk about the STEM workshops, it’s not demonstrations. They actually get in, use equipment, and manipulate specimens, stuff like that. It’s a really hands-on experience when they’re at UMass and Bay Path University.”
Workshops, both single-day and multi-day, range from from landscape architecture and regional plan- ning to chemistry and microbiology. Designed to be accessible to youth, the hands-on workshops pro- mote active, engaged learning, to turn their minds on, Parker said.
“It’s incredible stuff they’re doing — and I have to read it because, most times, I don’t even know what they’re doing. They’re working with incredibly well- known researchers in their fields.”
Everybody Wins
Parker told BusinessWest that she views the pro- gram as a win-win-win. It is a win for Girls Inc. because the impact of the program is high. It is also
a win for UMass, as many of the participating pro- fessors are writing the Eureka! program into their National Science Foundation grants. They’re required to engage in what are called ‘broader impacts,’ par- ticipating in programs and organizations with the potential to benefit society and contribute to the achievement of specific, desired societal outcomes.
“Professors love the Eureka! program because we bring students they want to work with — girls, other gender-oppressed youth, people of color living in the Springfield, Chicopee, Holyoke areas — but how do you make those connections?” Parker said. “We bus the kids to them, and the professors volunteer their time.”
Rivera-Colón also added that “the youth have a voice in the program. Sometimes the partnerships are born of things the youth want to explore. So we think about who we know in the community that does X, Y, and Z. From there, we get new partnerships, too.”
7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
6:45a.m.to 5:30 p.m.
7 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
8:15a.m.to 4:45 p.m.
Mary Jo McNamara
Lillian Krause-Ely
Lisa Martin
Romit Ben-Shir
Montessori-based preschool and kindergarten program promoting creativity, independence, and self-confidence, preparing children for a lifelong love of learning
Infant, toddler, preschool, full-year child care
Outdoor playground, providing children with a positive and supportive learning atmosphere; year-round educational programs; before- and after-school and summer programs; open enrollment; small classroom setting
Reggio Emilia-inspired campus; early-childhood program
isn’t leveled for them — they have to do a lot more, so we try to arm them with the tools necessary to be able to move forward.”
Studies suggest that a more diverse group of prob- lem solvers will create more diverse results — which benefits research and society in general because more peoples’ will be catered to.
“There are a lot of big problems in the world, and those problems will go to scientists, engineers, tech- nicians, and mathematicians,” Parker said. “If there are only a small group of people trying to solve the problems that don’t represent the population, then you’re going to get very limited kinds of solutions. Having a broader, diverse group of people that are involved in problem solving is so important.”
Parker told BusinessWest that Girls Inc. of the Val- ley was chosen be a part of Project Accelerate, a new program through the national Girls Inc. that will track Eureka! scholars that have graduated and help them go on to college and give them the support they need.
“It’s one thing to graduate from high school and get into that engineering program, but what are those sup- ports that will help ensure success through that time period?” Parker said. “We’re really excited about that.”
Life Lessons
The Eureka! program was designed to provide a safe and encouraging space for STEM curiosities, but it was built to provide its scholars with much more.
“I’m personally not looking for a career in STEM, but I think the program has taught me much more than what a STEM career has to offer,” Pirnie said. “I learned it’s OK to ask questions and advocate for yourself, especially in underrepresented areas, espe- cially in math and science.”
The West Springfield native isn’t sure yet what major she wants to dive into at college, but is confi- dent in her future journey because of the connections made and skills built by the Eureka! program. u
Kailey Houle can be reached at [email protected]
MAKE WAY FOR DUCKLINGS
455 Island Pond Road, Springfield, MA 01118
(413) 732-2182; www.makewayforducklingsnurseryschool.com
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33 months to 6 years
Part- and full-time hours (school calendar only)
Preschool and kindergarten classes; gym and music programs; half- and full-day care; Bodies in Motion, tae kwon do, and dance; instructional basketball and soccer in Springfield
Educational preschool programs; spacious indoor activity room; open year- round; full-day program; summer adventures
Full-year educational program that provides infant, toddler, and preschool programming
Charity Provost
Nonprofit facility on the campus of STCC; providing children with a positive and supportive learning environment
The biggest winners in the Eureka! Program, of course, are its scholars. They’re often students from lower-income neighborhoods whose families aren’t able to afford other summer programs. Having a completely accessible and free learning environment provides exposure and multiple opportunities.
“Look at opportunities,” Parker said. “More times
“
and advocate for yourself, especially
in underrepresented areas, especially
”
than not, STEM careers are well-paying careers. They can really lift up themselves, their families, and their communities out of poverty. Making sure there’s access to that type of programming is very important.”
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, only 7% of total jobs in the workforce are STEM careers. Within that, about 27% of the workers are women — and 5% of that number are women of color.
“Gender-oppressed people in general are very underrepresented and underserved when they express an interest in science. A lot of it gets squan- dered by systematic things that happen,” Rivera- Colón said.
She went on to explain that stereotypes, especially around math, are creating barriers for young girls. But actually, girls just have different learning styles than the way concepts have been created by universities.
“Universities were built to cater young, all white men. And a lot of that hasn’t changed to this day, even though women have access to study at those institu- tions,” she said. “It is up to us at Girls Inc. of the Valley to get our local youth ready to face those challenges and feel like they belong and that they deserve a spot in those programs and careers. The playing field just
I learned it’s OK to ask questions
in math and science.
34 AUGUST 8, 2022
EDUCATION
BusinessWest