Interim President Milton Santiago paid a special visit to the Early Childhood Center on Thursday, Oct. 12 to read to four-year old Pre-K children of BCC students in the Rising Stars class. He shared a bit about his Puerto Rican background, read the book “Be Who You Are” to the students and engaged in conversation around topics such as feelings and family.  

“You have two families: Your family at home and your family here,” President Santiago said to the attentive group. He opened it up to questions from the students and later visited the program’s pumpkin patch. The students presented him with a thank you card. 

Early Childhood Center Director Jitinder Walia said, “It’s mid-term time, and we are here to support our parents in every way. Sometimes just putting a hand on their hand, letting them know ‘We’ve got you’ is what helps them get through.”

Plans for The Early Childhood Center expansion are underway, with the launch of a program for children 6 weeks-two years of age expected this spring. 

Children Learn While Their Parents Learn
The Early Childhood Center, licensed by the New York City Department of Health, is a nationally accredited state-of-the-art full-service facility serving 2-5 year old children of BCC students. The Center provides a creative, caring and nurturing learning environment where children can learn, play and grow with other children in a group setting while their parents attend class.  The Center also offers an after-school program catering to children ages 5 to 12.