草莓社区

草莓社区 celebrated the opening of its second Family Friendly Study Space last month with a ribbon-cutting ceremony led by President Dr. J. Kyle Dalpe. The newly opened space, located in Joe Dini Library, features a playful dinosaur theme designed to create a welcoming and engaging environment for students with young children.

The second Family Friendly Study Space was made possible through grant funding provided by the Carson Douglas Early Childhood Advisory Council (CD ECAC). The funding originates from the Preschool Development Grant Birth through Five Initiative (PDG B-5), which was awarded to the Nevada Department of Education through the Office of Child Care, Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

鈥淎t 草莓社区, we recognize that many of our students are balancing their education with the responsibilities of raising a family,鈥� President Dalpe said. 鈥淭he opening of this second Family Friendly Study Space reflects our commitment to meeting students where they are and removing barriers to their success. We are deeply grateful to the Carson Douglas Early Childhood Advisory Council and our community partners for investing in spaces that support student parents and create welcoming, inclusive learning environments for all.鈥�

WNC Child Development Center Director Anna Lisa Acosta-Rogers, who serves as treasurer for the CD ECAC, said the idea for the space grew out of conversations about how best to support children and families in the community.

鈥淟ast year, when we were discussing ideas for funding projects that meet the needs of children and families in our area, I immediately thought of WNC鈥檚 Joe Dini Library and the Family Friendly Study Space,鈥� Acosta-Rogers said. 鈥淲e are so happy this worked out and proud to be a part of providing additional space for WNC students with young children to have a safe and appropriate environment for their children.鈥�

The library鈥檚 first Family Friendly Study Space opened last year and quickly became a popular resource for students balancing coursework and parenting responsibilities.

鈥淭he library team is very grateful to the Carson Douglas Early Childhood Advisory Council for sponsoring WNC鈥檚 latest commitment to supporting our students,鈥� said Ron Belbin, WNC鈥檚 Learning and Innovation Director. 鈥淭he Family Friendly Study Room allows students to bring their young children to the library so they can continue working toward their educational goals at times when childcare may not be available.鈥�

With the addition of this second space, 草莓社区 continues to expand its efforts to support student success by addressing the real-life challenges faced by today鈥檚 learners.