A new early education space in Hunts Point is nothing short of great news to local families.
Bright Horizons Family Solutions, a leading provider of employer-sponsored child care, early education and work/life solutions in the United States, celebrated the organization’s 25th anniversary by officially opening a new educational space in the Bronx on 875 Irvine Street on Thursday, October 20.
Representatives of Bright Horizons were joined by the Hunts Point Alliance for Children, Jumpstart, an early educational organization that helps children develop important language and literacy skills, as well as pre-kindergarten students and teachers of P.S. 48, to celebrate the grand opening with a formal ribbon cutting ceremony.
The new space, which will be called the HPAC Children’s Community Classroom, will serve as a literacy center and space where children in the Hunts Point community can receive critical social and educational services.
“It took time to find the right location and to bring this educational space to the families of Hunts Point, but it’s finally here,” said Dace Lissy, CEO of Bright Horizons. “The look of this area now, compared to what it looked like at first, is absolutely amazing. We were thrilled that we were able to find in Hunts Point a project that is so aligned with our organization’s mission and goals.”
According to Lissy, the idea of bringing a new space to Hunts Point began at the end of 2010. After connecting with the HPAC and Jumpstart, the idea came into fruition quick, and construction of the new space began almost immediately.
The HPAC Children’s Community Classroom will be a drop-in-center where children and families in the community can have a safe place to play and learn. It will be utilized by both Bright Horizons, and Jumpstart, who will help preschool children develop important skills as they advance in school.
The young students immediately began playing in the new educational space, and were assisted by 25 new employees selected by Bright Horizons to work at the location. Although only students of P.S. 48 joined for the grand opening, the space can be utilized by all of the approximately 1,200 young children that reside in Hunts Point.
“Our curriculum has been used throughout all of New York City, and we have worked in the Bronx before, but this is a wonderful opportunity to serve the residents of Hunts Point,” said Myung Lee, executive director of Jumpstart. “We are eager to kick-off the Jumpstart Program at the HPAC Children’s Community Classroom, bringing volunteers together with preschoolers to read, play, and grow.”
For more information about the new HPAC Children Community Classroom, visit www.brighthorizons.com.
