The Early Childhood Center has hosted many birthday parties for its young clientele. So it was only fitting that on its tenth anniversary, there was a birthday party for the ECC, the accredited pre-school program attended by the children of BCC students while their moms and dads are taking classes elsewhere on campus.

The celebration began on the Colston Hall patio on the morning of Friday, May 2nd, with outdoor activities from face painting to bouncy castles. Then the action moved indoors to Colston’s lower level, now a sea of small faces and smiling parents. BCC President Thomas A. Isekenegbe greeted the families and praised the ECC staff. “Folks, if you’re going to build a strong house, you need a solid foundation,” he observed. “And this is what they provide every day.”

EEC Director Jitinder Walia, full of emotion, declared “I am honored and proud to stand here celebrating the 10th anniversary of BCC’s Early Childhood Center. I can’t believe that 10 years ago, we began our commitment to childhood education on Sedgwick Avenue in a three-story house with six staffers and 20 children. Now, we have a staff of 30 and are serving over 125 children each semester.”

After leading a round of applause for her coworkers, Director Walia added “Parents are their child’s first teacher and to every parent in this room thank you for your trust in us that allows us to be a part of your children’s growth and development each day. Today is about celebrating and looking forward to the things that we can do to make the world a better place for children.”

Lunch and live music finished out the day of high spirits and even higher hopes. Among the latter, Director Walia looks forward to a parents’ resource lounge in September. “And we’re hoping in the next two years to start an infant/toddler center and complete the circle and serve children from six weeks to 12 years of age, so no student has to drop out when they get pregnant. That’s the goal.”