Since 1981, Ehmke’s Childhaven Preschool has provided quality early learning to preschoolers in Show Low, Arizona. As a 5-star Quality First and nationally accredited child care center, Ehmke's Childhaven Preschool fills a critical need in their low-to-moderate income community where access to child care is limited. “Families come here from over 30 miles away,” shared Eve Hoskins, who has owned and managed the child care center since 2005.
Ehmke’s Childhaven Preschool prides itself on its dedication to families and children, and after continuous operation for 42 years in the same location, the preschool was ready for improvements with a $200,000 grant.
Like so many other early care and education providers, Ehmke’s Childhaven Preschool used grant funds to improve its outdoor spaces. Eve had pergolas installed on each playground to add shade and help with the afternoon heat. She also made safety improvements, including raising the playground fence height to exceed licensing requirements and re-graveling the parking lot to ensure accessibility during winter months. But the improvement that made everyone the happiest was the new turf and wood chips on the playground. “I was always having to till or shovel the playground sand, and the teachers were having to sweep all the time. Everything will last longer and be so much cleaner and neater.”
When Eve learned her center would receive funding, she engaged her teachers in dreaming big. “I told them, ‘Make me a wish list; I don’t care what it costs. If you want it, put it down, and I will get it if I can.’” With staff who love what they do—some have worked at Ehmke’s Childhaven Preschool for decades—this enhanced teacher buy-in. They asked for and Eve purchased walkie talkies to communicate between classrooms, a prefabricated storage shed to protect their library of books and toys, and new LED light fixtures in every classroom. Eve also remodeled the kitchen to make it safer to prepare healthy meals and had UV lights installed in the duct work to help kill viruses.
Eve would love to make even more improvements to her facility, but in the meantime, she’s happy with the changes thus far. “This grant gave me the opportunity to do things that I would not have otherwise been able to do,” said Eve.
10 grants awarded in Navajo County totaling $1,185,000
70% of Navajo County grantees improved quality of program support spaces
1 in 5 Navajo County grantees increased licensed capacity
The Arizona Child Care Infrastructure Grant program was funded by the Arizona Department of Economic Security (ADES) and First Things First (FTF) through Child Care Stabilization Grants appropriated in the American Rescue Plan (ARP) Act of 2021.