Lakewood Avenue Children’s School, a preschool program located in Durham, NC, is an award-winning early childcare program.
Accomplishments of Lakewood Avenue Children’s School include:
| 2017 | Director, Marcia Brooks, presented on “The Reggio Emilia Approach and Creative Reuse” at the Creative Reuse Conference hosted by The Scrap Exchange. |
| 2017 | Director, Marcia Brooks, presented “The Reggio Emilia Approach to Outdoor Learning” as a featured plenary session speaker at the 15th Annual Design Institute/Science Learning Outdoors, hosted by the Natural Learning Initiative, College of Design, NCSU. |
| 2017 | (January-May) Lakewood Avenue Children’s School served as one of four North Carolina hosts of the Wonder of Learning/Hundred Languages of Children exhibit from Reggio Emilia, Italy in Durham, NC with Carolina Friends School, Duke University School of Public Policy, and UNC-CH School of Education. |
| 2014 | NAEYC (National Association for the Education of Young Children) Accreditation |
| 2014 | Durham Partnership for Children, “Transition to Kindergarten” Grant |
| 2014 | Featured in the “News and Observer”, “Children Help Mold Lakewood Avenue Children’s School Curriculum”, by Jamie Kennedy Jones, July 7, 2014 |
| 2011-2013 | NAEYC Self Study and Self-Assessment |
| 2007-2009 | Duke University Childcare Partnership Grant |
| 2004-2006 | Duke University Childcare Partnership Grant |
| 2003 | Mary Y. Bridgers Child Care Provided Award, presented to Stephanie Drumheller in recognition of making a difference for children, families and the community by providing outstanding early care and education. Presented by Child Care Services Association. |
| 2000 | Featured in “Parenting” magazine: “Bright Idea – Parents Pitch In” by Michelle Lee, April 2000 |
| 1999 | Featured in the “Wall Street Journal”: “Brown Bag Lunches, Paint and Other Steps to Better Child Care” by Sue Shellenberger, 11/25/98 |
| 1999 | First child care center to receive a 5-star rated license from the North Carolina Division of Child Development, Health and Human Services |
| 1998 | Recognized nationally as one of ten exemplary early childhood programs by the High/Scope Educational Research Foundation in collaboration with the NAEYC |
| 1997 | Awarded a North Carolina Smart Start Grant written by Marcia Brooks to work on an art collaboration project with kindergartners from R.N. Harris Public Magnet School in Durham, North Carolina. |
| 1988 | First full-time early childhood program in North Carolina to be accredited by the National Academy of Early Childhood Programs (now NAEYC) |