Ashleigh and Isaiah

I have had the pleasure of being a part of the Clemson Child Development Center family since July 2005. My son, Isaiah has been attending the Center since he was one year old and hardly walking. I remember the first day he came home from the infant room, he kept saying a word over and over that I could not understand. I finally realized he was saying “Bubbles!” Within the first two weeks of Isaiah attending CCDC, he was not only expressing his newfound excitement for playing with bubbles (an activity teachers in his infant room provided), Isaiah also started walking! I have had only good things to say about Clemson Child Development Center. I am a single parent and a student at Clemson University so my finances cannot support the cost of regular childcare. Clemson Child Development Center provides Isaiah with a scholarship to attend the Center which enables me to attend the University. If it were not for the support of the Donors who provide the scholarship for Isaiah, I would not be able to attend school and obtain my degree in Education. I heard about the Center while living in Columbia, SC, through the DSS listing of childcare facilities in the Pickens area. I contacted almost every childcare provider and found CCDC, the only Center who actually cared about the children as an individual and not a collective mass of children. I visited many well-known childcare facilities in the Pickens area, and found that the staff and teachers at CCDC were the only ones to ask my son’s name. I love CCDC because it is a family. The teachers have seen my son grow up and have supported him in every stage of his growth. From the biting stage to potty training, the teachers and staff at CCDC have supported Isaiah in his growth and development. No matter where I will end up after graduation next May 2008, Clemson Child Development Center will hold a very special place in my heart. _________________________________________
Jennifer and Elaina
I have been attending Tri-County Technical College since August 2002. It took me three years to complete my pre-regs because I didn’t have a babysitter for my daughter. Therefore, I could only go to school part-time. I finally finished my pre-regs and started the Respiratory Program which had to be full-time. In August 2005, still with no babysitter, I didn’t quite know how I was going to do the full-time program. The first day of school I learned about the Woman and Children Succeeding (WACS) program through Anderson Interfaith Ministries (AIM) which helps pay for daycare. This wonderful program led me to Clemson Child Development Center (CCDC). Since Elaina has been part of Clemson Child Development Center, she has grown so much socially and mentally, and I have been able to finish my schooling with little worries. I will graduate this August 3, with an Associate Degree in Respiratory Care.
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Marta and Julia

I came from Poland in 2006 to Clemson. I am a visiting scholar in the Chemistry Dept. I found the information about CCDC on the internet in February 2004. I contacted the Director of CCDC and asked about help. My husband is in Poland, so I am with Julia at Clemson by myself without any family and relatives. Julia started attending to Clemson Child Development Center (CCDC) in the middle of March 2007. Julia enjoys CCDC a lot. She started speaking English uses few simple words. She only spoke Polish before March.
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Janet and Twins, Joseph & Josleen
Originally from Jordan in the Middle East, Janet’s native language is Arabic, but she speaks English well. She came to New York in 1998 and married. Then in 2000 the family moved to South Carolina. After her divorce, Janet moved to Pendleton in 2004. Janet enrolled her children, Joseph & Josleen, in the CCDC program when the YMCA childcare program at Tri-County Tech Campus was due to close. Janet uses the Clemson Area Transit (C.A.T.) Bus to bring the children during the summer months and to pick them up. From time to time friends help out with transportation. When public school is in session, Janet has friends who help by bringing the children in the morning so that she can get to work at an elementary school in the Anderson County Area where she works in the cafeteria. She really loves having her children enrolled at the Center. They enjoy reading books and Janet reads to them each night. She feels they have learned a lot attending the Center.
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Denise and Donquez
Denise was appointed guardian of her nephew, Donquez, in October 2006. The parent of Donquez had been neglecting him and his sibling. By the time Denise got Donquez he was neither speaking nor potty trained at age three. She was able to get him to speak and train him to use the potty. He came out of his shell. Donquez was then able to attend our Center in March 2007. Denise was already familiar with our program. In fact, a few of her other nieces and nephews were students many years ago. April 18th Denise was awarded full custody of Donquez and his older brother. Since his enrollment in our Center, Denise feels Donquez has improved even more. He is now able to say and recognize his name, whereas before he only knew his name when you called it. Donquez is also able to recite a few nursery rhythms. Denise feels that with more development in his motor skills and hands on interaction from the teaching staff and classmates, Donquez is on the road to a great beginning. Donquez has moved up to the 4-K class for the summer!