Rayitos de Sol Opens for the 2024/25 School Year!
This September Rayitos de Sol Bilingual Childcare celebrated a huge milestone- opening and operating out of our newly constructed building!
Children play inside the new gymnasium space at Rayitos de Sol Bilingual Childcare at the centers official opening
-
Rayitos de Sol Bilingual Childcare center opened in 2021, and was the first registered bilingual childcare center in the state! The center operated for 3 years out of the conference room in the Mano en Mano office, with the mission to provide childcare that celebrates unique cultural heritage and identities.
For many years community members have expressed a need for affordable child care services and community spaces that represent the backgrounds of the members served. The center acts as a bridge to connect families from different backgrounds so that language and culture are valued and appreciated by our whole community.
In 2022 Mano en Mano began construction on a new Rayitos de Sol Childcare building in order to expand the center's reach and serve more local and migrant families. The design of the center created the additional space and infrastructure to more than triple the center's capacity and grow the center from one classroom serving 12 children, to 5 classrooms serving approximately 64 students (infants-elementary school age).
This past April, Rayitos de Sol received support from US Senator Angus Kings congressional appropriations package. This grant was crucial to complete the center and to support our growing community.
Since 2021, Mano en Mano has been fundraising and dreaming of expanding our bilingual childcare program to serve more families and children. In 2022 Mano en Mano began construction on a new Rayitos de Sol Childcare building in order to expand the center's reach and serve more local and migrant families. The design of the center created the additional space and infrastructure to more than triple the center's capacity and grow the center from one classroom serving 12 children, to 5 classrooms serving approximately 64 students (infants-elementary school age).
This summer we reached the final stages of construction, and awaited the approval to complete our playground space and outdoor learning areas. During that time we were able to open and welcome children as part of our Rayitos de Verano summer program, where children took part in activities including: art, sports, group games, and daily walking field trips to outdoor learning and play spaces around Milbridge. They also connected with the Blueberry Harvest School, and participated alongside students at the BHS the weeks the programs ran together.
This September we celebrated another milestone- the official start of the 2024-2025 school year, and opening of our new space! We welcomed local families, community members, donors, and staff to a celebration at the childcare building for an evening of food, sharing, and building tours. We also welcomed Hubert Francis, who blessed the building and spoke about the importance of celebrating our identities and supporting one another in order to grow.
“We need to teach our children to be proud of who they are, and where they come from. Just like the trees around us, we are all different and we all belong.”
-Hubert Francis
After the celebration, the center was officially opened for the 2024-2025 school year! We are still awaiting approval to complete the outdoor play and learning spaces, but Rayitos de Sol has been open in our new space for two months. We have successfully enrolled 41 children ages infant-elementary school in the childcare and after school programs.
As we navigate the first year of operation in our new space, we want to thank all of the community members, supporters and big hearted individuals who made this possible, and helped ensure that every child has the opportunity to shine.
Want to learn more about Rayitos de Sol?
Visit the Rayitos program page for more information
