These Appleton and Menasha high schoolers are running preschools - and earning college credit while doing it
Angel was hesitant to leave his mother's side when he first walked into Little Bluejays Preschool at Menasha High School, clinging to her during story time. But within 15 minutes, that all changed.
With a high school buddy encouraging him, Angel joined the other 3- and 4-year-olds in bopping pink and red balloons (specifically picked for Valentine's Day) in the air, being careful not to let them touch the ground. A smile flashed across his face and didn't leave throughout the duration of the activity.
Little Bluejays Preschool and Little Patriots Preschool at Appleton East are short-term programs that span a few days a week over several weeks. They're run by high school students enrolled in a dual-credit child development course through Fox Valley Technical College. The preschools provide high school students with a hands-on learning experience while helping prepare the younger children for formal schooling.
Before the preschool programs launched, the high schoolers learned about creating a themed early childhood education curriculum. With each day of the preschool, they put their newfound skills to the test as they take turns planning and leading activities, with their peers' support.
"Most of us have babysat and that's how we get our exposure to whether we like working with children or not, but this is far different than babysitting," said Kathy Meetz, department chair of the Early Childhood Education Program at Fox Valley Technical College. "These are planned educational activities that these students are doing for the children, and so it's planting that seed (for them to realize) that this could really be a good career for them."
Meetz knows from experience: A similar high-school-led preschool program sparked her interest in the field when she was growing up in nearby Brillion.
Eliana Kelley, a junior at Appleton East, said they see the value in taking learning beyond textbooks and lectures to work with children directly.
"The class can only do so much to teach you how a child reacts to certain things, but unless you witness it in person, you're not going to truly understand," Kelley said. "We're learning about this, but it's a different thing when (the children) are in the class with us and we're helping them and experiencing new things with them."
Michael Westbrook, a family and consumer sciences teacher at Menasha High School, hopes the child development course and corresponding preschool can eventually help with staffing challenges at area child cares and schools.
"What we're really hoping for is that our high school students will take this passion that they have now, continue learning and then come back to our Menasha community and become an early childhood educator's assistant or a lead teacher or a K-12 educator," Westbrook said.
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And since the child development classes are dual-credit through Fox Valley Tech, the students leading the preschool are one step closer to being qualified to work in a licensed child care facility. Meetz said after completing the class, the high schoolers will be qualified under state guidelines to be a child care assistant teacher once they turn 18. Individual centers, however, may impose additional requirements.
Meetz said many child development students start working in the field before graduation. One example is Nairobi Kamara, a senior at Menasha High School, who works at a child care center in Kimberly.
"I love kids," she said. "I love helping them learn valuable life skills, and I know they'll take these things with them."
Even for the high schoolers not planning to become child care or K-12 teachers, leading the preschools and taking the corresponding class can still be helpful, whether they decide to go into another child-related field like pediatrics, child psychology or midwifery or even hope to become parents someday.
"I think if you have the opportunity to take a child development class you should, because it teaches you a lot about how children function, and it can help you in the future ... if you have kids," said Mallory Furman, a junior at Menasha High School. "You're going to have more knowledge on how they develop and what they need at a certain age."
Another bonus: The preschool gives students a break from the traditional classroom setting.
"Who doesn't like hanging out with little kids for an hour a day as well?" asked Jennifer Biese, Appleton East family and consumer sciences teacher.
Depending on the preschool, the young students obtain learning opportunities for free or at low cost: Little Bluejays is free to parents, while Little Patriots is $10 per child.
Biese said the children learn how to follow routines, interact with others in a group, listen, count, days of the week and more. Wesbrook said they also engage in literacy, art, science, motor skills and math.
Angel's mom, Grace Perez — who graduated Menasha High School herself — said she is taking Angel to Little Bluejays to better prepare him for 4K in the fall.
"I want him to know how to be around kids," Perez said.
Kelley said they hope the preschoolers see the high schoolers as positive role models.
"I hope we set a good enough example for them to think 'I want to be like them one day,'" Kelley said. "I want it to be an experience that they'll remember."
Those interested in next year's preschool opportunities should check the high schools' social media next academic year.
Madison Lammert covers child care and early education across Wisconsin as a Report for America corps member based at The Appleton Post-Crescent. To contact her, email mlammert@gannett.com or call 920-993-7108. Please consider supporting journalism that informs our democracy with a tax-deductible gift to Report for America.
This article originally appeared on Appleton Post-Crescent: Appleton and Menasha high schoolers are running preschools, all while earning college credit
