The learning garden

The Orange Coast College Children’s Center has offered daily education to the youngest of area students, often for free, for more than 35 years. If juggling schoolwork and a full-time job is difficult, then balancing the two with child care can be nearly impossible.

That’s why Orange Coast College’s Children’s Center has been a staple on campus for more than 35 years.

Housed inside the 13,000-square-foot Harry and Grace Steele Children’s Center, the program provides discounted child care and developmental instruction to children in the community.

Children whose parents are OCC students and faculty get first priority in enrollment. Because of both federal and state grants, many low-income families don’t have to pay for the care.

“There are many young families, predominately run by a single parent, who have a desire to get an education and become self-sufficient,” said center director Lucy Groetsch.

“Whatever put them in the situation, living on welfare or at a level where they are needing some social services, they see education as a way to move out of that.

“It’s very important that we provide quality care so they can focus on school.”

For those who don’t qualify for subsidized care, the program costs anywhere from $35 to $60 per day. Families pay on a sliding scale, Groetsch said.

The center is open from 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. and serves about 170 children per semester, Groetsch said. Most students are between 6 months and 5 years old.

There is an after-school kindergarten class and a summer program for children older than 6.

The center is also involved in a food program that provides free food to participants.

“We make sure that all children get good, healthy meals,” Groetsch said.

Seventeen full-time employees, including seven main teachers, work at the children’s center. Teachers have early childhood education credentials and are trained to supervise students.

Groetsch said all activities are structured so that children learn by doing.

“We believe that it’s all instructional, play-based learning,” she said. “Learning is embedded in the play and in the environment.”

The bulk of the programming is held during the morning, when children have more energy, Groetsch said. Play structures, a tricycle track and animal pens are among the incorporated stations.

Children also help take care of a garden that is in the front of the building. Teacher Jan Jobse, a child development specialist, runs the garden.

“They learn about life cycles and diversity,” Jobse said. “Most of the kids wouldn’t normally be able to see things growing like this.”

Ben Schneiderman said he enjoys working in the garden.

“We get to do a lot of things. I like digging with the pigs,” the 6-year-old said, referring to digging into a pile of compost that has wooden pigs planted into the soil. 20051214irgs3bknKENT TREPTOW / DAILY PILOT(LA)Parsah Roueenfar, 4, picks a pomegranate on Tuesday in the garden at the Harry and Grace Steele Children’s Center at Orange Coast College as 3-year-old Ryan Maples watches. The garden is just one of the center’s learning areas.