Jennifer Karowe, Nederland. In the last six months, two of Nederland’s long-standing Early Childhood Education Centers, Little Bear Preschool and Aspen Grove Community Preschool, have decided to close their doors, creating a critical gap in quality childcare programs in the Nederland community.

TEENS, Inc. recently announced that it has worked closely with the boards and staff of these preschools and stepped forward to fill the gap by creating the New Explorers Learning Center (NELC).

“It’s so wonderful that TEENS, Inc. has stepped up to the plate to take care of the community,” said Karen Campbell, NELC director. “I’m so happy that it turned out this way so that we can continue to support local families.”

The TEENS, Inc. Board of Directors spent time exploring the question of why a youth-serving agency that has been primarily serving youth from sixth grade to 21 years old should get into the business of preschool. Leonard Berman, TEENS, Inc. board president, offered some answers in a letter to TEENS, Inc. supporters and stakeholders.

High-quality early childhood education is a key precursor to success in the teenage years.

If Nederland families are forced to choose preschool options in Boulder or beyond, the likelihood of them enrolling their children in Nederland Elementary School is greatly reduced.

TEENS, Inc. has the leadership and staff capacity to create and sustain a great preschool. It’s executive director and assistant director have been with TEENS, Inc. a combined 37 years, and they have strong evaluation and development teams who will help sustain and enhance programming.

Qualified and experienced early childhood education directors, Karen Campbell and Lisa McCoy have been leading preschool in Nederland for 21 years.

This effort will build on TEENS, Inc.’s mission without sacrificing core programming for youth sixth grade to 21 years old. TEENS, Inc.’s mission is to Support, Educate and Empower Youth and their Families to make Healthy Choices and Thrive.

In addition, for over 20 years, TEENS, Inc. has responded with programming to fill youth and family needs within the Peak to Peak community.

In 2001, a series of meetings with community members identified the need for a non-traditional high school and TEENS, Inc. founded Chinook West.

TEENS, Inc. filled the extra-curricular recreation gap by providing Peak to Peak Soccer, the largest locally organized opportunity for team sports.

With the community’s early identification of substance use as a critical issue, TEENS, Inc. secured funding to develop a coalition, Communities That Care (CTC), to address the issue.

The CTC identified improved Social Emotional Learning (SEL) as a factor to help young people develop skills to refrain from substance abuse. From this process, an SEL initiative was introduced at Nederland Elementary School.

The creation of the New Explorers Learning Center follows TEENS, Inc.’s tradition of responding to the needs of the community.

TEENS, Inc. began exploring the possibility of a preschool when Little Bear closed in May. The Aspen Grove Preschool then asked if TEENS, Inc. would consider assuming operation of its program.

The New Explorers Learning Center began serving the community August 1, 2019, in the former Aspen Grove building at 391 W 1st Street In the near future TEENS, Inc. will acquire ownership of the building.

“It took TEENS, Inc. to make it happen,” Campbell said. “It was the perfect match and Lisa and I are so excited to be with a team of such supportive people.” 

“Now that there is an infrastructure that is sustainable, we are able to create something for the future of Nederland,” she said.

“TEENS, Inc. is excited to have begun this new endeavor and is committed to serving Nederland’s youngest learners,” said Berman.

NELC serves two and a half to seven- year-olds with its preschool program as well as before and after school care. They are open 8 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. And, as with all TEENS, Inc. programs, no one will be turned away for inability to pay. 

“In the coming months, you can expect to learn more about the happenings at New Explorers Learning Center, and we hope you will join the board and staff of TEENS, Inc. in supporting this important community initiative,” said Berman.

Jennifer Karowe is a former TEENS, Inc. board member and local mom of two.

(Originally published in the August 29, 2019, print edition of The Mountain-Ear.)