The Lynn Bennett Early Childhood Education Center was designed as a small village with six buildings surrounding a large central courtyard.

For their parents – many of them UNLV students – it's an enriching place for their children to learn while they attend their own classes or work. For the staff of the center and for administrators, professors, and students of the College of Education, the $5.8 million center is a dream realized.

Classrooms are designed with a variety of learning centers for small-group interactions as well as a central carpeted area for activities involving the whole class.

The 20,932 square feet of indoor space allows the preschool staff to improve its already excellent programming (it is one of only a few centers in Southern Nevada to achieve accreditation from the National Association for the Education of Young Children) in ways that simply wouldn't have been possible in the old facilities in the Carlson Education Building and in portable units nearby. Set on 62,000 square feet of land at the north end of the campus, the new center has two-and-a-half times more outdoor space than the old facilities.

And not only did the center get more space when it moved into its new quarters in January, it – just as importantly – got improved space. Two specially designed research classrooms, for instance, are equipped with laptop stations and one-way mirrors so UNLV students and their professors can observe the lessons without disrupting the classroom. A similar setup exits in the infirmary for nursing and physical therapy students and researchers.hile a camera in one classroom currently enables lessons to be filmed and studied later by education students, teachers, and professors, all the classrooms are camera-ready.

"I never expected an opportunity like this," says Catherine Lyons, who has headed the UNLV/CSUN Preschool for eight years. "Being told you're going to be part of developing an entirely new, state-of-the-art early childhood center from conception through implementation is something I never would have dreamed of. Yet here it is.

"This new center is enabling us to build on what I believe was already outstanding programming in ways that will greatly benefit the families we serve as well as the UNLV students who use the center in their academic endeavors," she says, noting that the preschool is a resource to students majoring in education, psychology, physical therapy, nursing, and food and beverage management. In addition, the center is one of the largest employers of student workers on campus, with 135 students employed in such positions as classroom aids.

"This center is a tremendous resource for parents pursuing a college degree," says Gene Hall, dean of the College of Education. "It removes the challenge of finding high quality, affordable, and convenient care for their children while they pursue their college degrees."

One obvious improvement is the numbers of people who will benefit from the center. Lyons estimates that where the old preschool used to serve approximately 90 youngsters at one time, the new early childhood center will serve about 165 children.

However, those numbers don't paint an adequate picture of the service the center provides to both the campus and larger Southern Nevada communities, she notes. Because so many of the youngsters are children of UNLV students who often are enrolled at the center on a part-time basis that mirrors the parents' class schedules, a more accurate measure may be the number of families served per semester. Lyons expects the center to serve as many as 400 families, more than double the 180 served at the old preschool. The center also plans to expand its schedule so that it no longer closes during winter and spring breaks.

The entire community, not just UNLV, benefits from the new facility, Hall says. With the enhanced resources, the college is expanding its leadership in early childhood education. In addition to serving as a model for other centers, UNLV will offer development programs to early childhood educators throughout the valley.

Campus Within A Campus

The center, which was designed by architect Eric Strain of Assemblage STUDIO in Las Vegas and built by Isaac Building and Design Co. Inc., features six buildings with a total of 12 classrooms situated around a large courtyard. "It was designed with a village in mind because we really wanted a strong feeling of community," Lyons explains. "That's why we wanted several smaller buildings rather than just one or two large ones. It's intended to be like a campus within a campus."

Chad Edralin, a sophomore majoring in criminal justice, with Myles Huddleston (facing the camera). "Working here is not only helping me get through college, it's helping me improve my professional communication skills," says Edralin, who is one of 135 work-study students employed by the preschool. "The parents of the infants ask a lot of questions about how their day was and how they're adjusting. It's also kind of my way to give back in the way that my mom – who's been a foster parent – has always given back to children."

The main building houses the infant classrooms – something new for the center, which until last month served only children ages 12 months to 5 years, but now takes children as young as 6 weeks – administrative offices, and teachers' prep room. The family resource center is staffed to help parents with their computer research on children's issues and to help them find books and materials appropriate for their children.

The other buildings contain classrooms and one large multipurpose room for group activities, including children's cooking and creative movement programs. The multipurpose room also is the setting for family events, such as presentations on pediatric CPR, nutrition, and the ever-popular sessions on managing childhood behaviors.

The buildings are wired to accommodate the latest in computer technology as well as equipment used by students with special medical needs. UNLV's program is dedicated to the philosophy of "inclusion," which refers to making classrooms available to all students, including those with disabilities.

"As many as 10 to 15 percent of our students have disabilities," Lyons says. "We believe that all children belong together and that children with disabilities have the right to be in the same classroom that they would if they did not have a disability. This benefits all the children as they learn to accept people who are different from themselves. One of our goals is building a community of people who are accepting of diversity."

The center's inclusion policy dates back about eight years. At that time, the Clark County School District selected it as the model for preschools serving children with disabilities. School district specialists assist the center in areas such as speech and language, occupational therapy, and mobility.

The preschool’s curriculum creates a literature-enriched environment with hands-on learning activities. (Above) Tara Louviere, a full-time teacher, with 3-year-old Kamileah Kerr. (Below) Teacher’s assistant Melissa Stinnett, with Georgia McKnight.

Learning Outside the Classroom

The center's outdoor play area is both attractive and large. A small patio for each classroom can be closed off for small-group activities or opened so children can flow into the main courtyard. A bike path encircles the courtyard, which is divided into smaller play zones with grassy areas, sand pits, art centers, and water features. A variety of age-appropriate equipment helps develop both fine and gross motor skills.

"Because we want the playground to be a true learning experience for the children, we have a teacher who is hired just for the playground," Lyons explains. "She does a complete daily lesson plan. On any given day, children may be able to choose from art and dramatic play opportunities as well as a large activity such as an obstacle course. "We know that the children's educational experience doesn't begin and end in the classroom, and we wanted our new center to reflect that."

A Community Project

The center was built with funds donated to the university by local community members. In addition to the fees paid by the families who use the center, its operations are supported by student government and the College of Education with some state and federal support.

"Without the support of Lynn Bennett and her late husband,William, this center never would have been possible," Hall says. "Between their $5 million donation for this center and their previous donation that made possible the William Bennett Professional Development Center here on campus, the Bennetts have had a tremendously positive impact on not only services provided to children, but also on the undergraduate and graduate education programs offered by our college. These centers will be vital in assisting us in preparing the next generation of teachers for our community and our state."

Retired Las Vegas pediatrician Joseph Lapan and his wife, Joan, also donated thousands of dollars, Hall says. "Dr. Lapan for many years has taken a sincere interest in the needs of the community's children, and we are thankful that he chose to lend his support to this worthwhile project."

Additional support has come from IBM, which donated Little Tykes Young Explorers computers, and from Mountain States Wholesale Nursery, which donated landscaping materials.

"I feel we've accomplished a great deal already and have a solid track record of providing an excellent educational experience for the community's youngsters," Hall says, "but with this outstanding new facility we have our sights set even higher."