Judy Center Early Learning Hubs Celebrate 20 Years of Serving Children and Families
BALTIMORE – This month marks the 20th anniversary of the opening of the first Judy P. Hoyer Center Early Learning Hub (Judy Center) in Maryland, at Cool Spring Elementary in Prince George’s County. Thirteen additional centers opened across the State during the following year, and there are now 53 Judy Centers throughout Maryland.
The Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) will mark this yearlong anniversary with a series of celebrations honoring each of the original 13 sites, beginning on December 13th at the Adelphi Judy Center at Cool Spring Elementary. Each site will hold community events, share activities on social media, and recognize families and partners for their support over the years.
Judy Centers are located in Title I schools and have become an integral part of Maryland’s early childhood learning system, providing efficient coordination between early childhood education and support services. They are essential in directing critical services and resources to families with the greatest needs. Judy Centers also help build bridges between early childhood programs and the local schools, facilitating continuity of care and seamless transitions for families.
“Judy Centers are dedicated to the needs of low-income families and demonstrate the value of strong collaboration in communities,” said Dr. Karen Salmon, State Superintendent of Schools. “It is through these partnerships that we make the biggest impact in the lives of young children and families.”
While serving as Early Education Coordinator for Prince George’s County Public Schools in the 1990s, Judith P. Hoyer lamented the gaps in available services for low-income families. To better support families, she created a central hub in Adelphi, Maryland, for important early childhood services, fostering cooperation of governmental and private agencies around the needs of local families. After her death in 1997, her husband, Congressman Steny Hoyer (D-MD), led a successful campaign to bring her model of public-private partnerships to fruition as a statewide program named in her honor.
For more information on Judy Centers, or to locate one in your community, visit Judy Centers.
EVENT DETAILS:
20th Anniversary Kick-Off Celebration
December 13, 2019 – 9:30am
Adelphi Judy Center, Cool Spring Elementary
8910 Riggs Rd
Adelphi, Maryland