WICHITA FALLS (KFDX/KJTL) — Dillard’s Early Learning Center with the YMCA reaches capacity every year.

This year, officials knew they were bound to open a second location with the same quality care for the kids.

“This is a partnership with Colonial Church to be able to meet the community they need,” said YMCA President and CEO AJ Hernandez. “The people are ultimately what makes this what it is. We’re excited to have new faces, new families, and really be able to impact.”

One of the pillars of the YMCA is youth development. Hernandez realized the Y needed to add another branch to better serve the youth community and working families.

According to Hernandez, the $5 million dollar question on the minds of most parents is ‘Does this branch reach the high quality and standards that Dillard Early Learning Center upholds?’

“We offer the same curriculum as Dillard does,” said Youth Development Director of Early Learning at WFYMCA Colonial Rhiannon Beesinger. “We use Frogs Street as our curriculum as well as a social-emotional curriculum called Conscious Discipline that helps to teach self-regulation and problem-solving.”

The program used is a Texas Rising Star, a four-star accredited curriculum, one of the highest in Texas. Hernandez says being able to teach high standards during adolescence helps to prepare children for great success later in life.

“We’re preparing children to be able to be ready for school and so that when they come to WFISD they’re really ready to be able to take what the teachers are providing to them and really enhancing grow and really make this the best quality educational area in our state,” said Hernandez.

Families interested in enrolling their children in the YMCA Early Learning Academy at
Colonial can visit the YMCA website at ymcawf.org or contact the YMCA Youth Development Leadership team at (940) 855-2301 for more information.