Cleveland Verdin
May 26, 2008
Dr. Charles "Chuck" Binford
May 28, 2008
What started out as a church expansion for the Houma Assembly of the Body of Christ Church worshippers has transformed into an outreach effort to educate young children.
“We’ve spent $1 million-plus on this building, and it made no sense to just use all this space for just 10 hours a week,” said Leo Brown, pastor of Houma Assembly of the Body of Christ Church in Schriever. “We thought it was a sensible idea to have a program that will have a positive effect on the community.”
Brown and his daughter, Janita Hodge, opened the Rise-n-Shine Developmental and Learning Center at the church in April.
“This is a part of my daughter’s life-long ambition,” Brown said.
“I’ve always had a passion for taking care of children,” Hodge agreed. “It’s just having the opportunity to see a smile on a child’s face that makes it all worthwhile. I just want to have a part in their development.”
Brown, a strong believer in being true to one’s faith and career, said that the staff is totally committed to providing an adequate education to the children participating in the developmental program.
Brown cites Ecclesiastes 9:10, “Whatsoever the hand finds to do, do it with all thy might.” He believes too many times people try to do the easiest thing and take the path of less resistance.
“If you are not fully committed, you won’t spend the funds that are necessary to facilitate the best because of cost,” he said. “The high quality and high standard of this childcare and learning center is the direct result of this biblical standard becoming a large part of our convictions.”
For Hodge, who has been a childcare provider for the past three years, most recently providing services from her home, the expansion came in the knick of time.
“At first it wasn’t the plan to open a childcare center at the church. I was looking for a place to purchase for a childcare center,” she said. “After talking with my father, we figured that we could use the extra space at the church.”
The center has more than tripled her in-home enrollment and is steadily rising each day.
“We are enrolling an average of four to five children a week,” Hodge said. “And we expect more once summer starts.”
The childcare center is just one of three phases for the development center. Right now, the program caters to children six weeks to five years old.
Hodge said the two- to five year olds follow a combination of two nationally accredited curriculums – the High Reach Learning and A BEKA, a registered trademark of the Pensacola Christian College.
“The curriculum is a good learning tool for their age group,” she said.
Brown said in coming years, the center will house elementary through high school students, completing the second and third phases of the development center’s plan. The second phase calls for a 140-student elementary school, which will house first through seventh graders. Construction will begin pending plan approval by the Fire Marshal. Shortly after that, the eighth through 12th grade wing will be added, he said.
“I look forward to the continued expansion. It will give the pre-school children a chance to continue their education in an environment they have grown accustomed to,” Hodge said.
For now, school-age children between 5 and 12 can take advantage of the center’s summer program.
“We just wanted to give the children a positive and safe environment for the summer,” Hodge said. “We will provide them with fun and enriching activities to stimulate their minds, as well as to keep them active.”
The enrichment class at the center will continue well into the school year. Hodge said they will offer an after school tutoring and homework assistance program.
“The whole purpose of this program is to educate the children,” she said.
Rise-n-Shine Developmental and Learning Center children take a break from learning to engage in a little social interaction with each other during play time. Director Janita Hodge said being able to interact with their peers is a big part of the development process. Hodge is pictured with the students and infant caretaker Kara Verret. * Photo by SOPHIA RUFFIN
