Child academy receives grant

The Marshall University Child Development Academy has been approved for a second year of funding under a federal higher education grant.

Students who have children may qualify for scholarships for child daycare.

The Child Care Access Means Parents in Schools Grant of $59,600 was awarded to the program last November and used to purchase toys and equipment for the Academy's new building at 22nd Street and Fifth Avenue. Scholarships were offered last year for the children of students.

Leah Tolliver, chairwoman of the scholarship committee, said one of the purposes of the grant is to make higher education more obtainable to those with children.

The Academy offers a developmental care program for infants and children three months to six years. Seventy-six percent of the children enrolled this fall are children of Marshall students.

The program is funded by student fees, children's tuition and reimbursement of USDA money.

The tuition for the child is a sliding fee based on income.

"Even though the tuition is on a sliding fee, the scholarship has helped to alleviate some financial burden on students," Marianna Linz, co-director of the grant project said.

The grant has enhanced the quality of the program and has allowed the program to employ teachers with degrees in most classrooms, Linz said.

Academy director Joan Adkins said the grant has enriched the program for the children by offering resources like playground equipment, books and toys.

"When we had the grand opening last year, you would have walked through this building and thought, 'There is nothing for kids to do,' " Adkins said.

"The grant money helped us get toys, playground equipment, tables and chairs."

In addition to child care the Academy offers students majoring in early childhood education, psychology and speech pathology the opportunity for observation and practicums.

Other programs the grant will help fund this year include the purchasing of outdoor play equipment, an operating subsidy, an informational brochure, an education library for teachers on multicultural programming for young students, computers with Internet access and a library for parents.