Grant Helps Fund Furnishings for Classrooms

February 7, 2024 – Sarasota

Studies show that strategic renovations to young children’s learning environments significantly enhance their cognitive development and engagement. By replacing dilapidated, piecemeal furnishings with sturdy, wooden furniture, warm lighting, and natural accessories, young students gain an environment that is calming and conducive to exploration, self-discovery, and learning. This style of classroom setting, inspired by the Reggio Emilia philosophy, which emphasizes child-centered and experiential learning, is especially effective for children with needs related to diagnoses such as autism, sensory processing disorder, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, prenatal exposure to alcohol or drugs, and others.

A $10,000 grant from the Suncoast Credit Union Foundation brings The Florida Center for Early Childhood Education closer to the total cost of just over $50,000 needed to purchase furnishings for two Starfish Academy classrooms (for two- and three-years olds) on its Sarasota and North Port campuses. Starfish Academy is The Florida Center’s nationally accredited early childhood education program, serving children aged six weeks to five years with a wide array of onsite speech/language, occupational therapy, and mental health services.

“This grant allows us to move ahead with improvements for our two Starfish Academy locations,” says CEO Dr. Kristie Skoglund. “This investment not only fosters a positive learning atmosphere but also underscores the importance of prioritizing the educational needs of children at risk, ensuring they have the tools for academic success.”

Skoglund adds that she and her team are “very grateful to the Suncoast Credit Union Foundation for its support of this initiative. They share our mission to build a community that values and invests in the wellbeing and development of young children and their families.”