Overview of our Curriculum
STEM based curriculum
Science Technology Engineering & Math, known as STEM, has become the standard in quality education. When Cento searched for quality bilingual STEM content they could not find it, so they decided to create it themselves. With innovation and engagement at the center, Centro created original bilingual STEM videos alongside comprehensive lessons plans. Topics such as hydroponic gardening, stethoscopes, crystallization, paleontology, and the life cycle of a butterfly are presented in both English and Spanish. Centro believes it is vital to bring Latino/a youth into the STEM community, as they are currently underrepresented in all levels of STEM education and employment. This mission is propelled by the Centro de Niños You Tube channel, where their STEM content is hosted.
Future Challenges
Centro de Niños' program is currently at two sites in Los Angeles. One site in East Los Angeles, with another contracted site located in Historic Filipinotown. Both sites include custom play areas and interior space that provide high quality learning and play. At full capacity, Cento serves 160 children. Centro has been through expansion and contraction, tirelessly working for 50 years to continue serving the underrepresented children of Los Angeles. Our current challenge is the impending sale of the Centro location owned by LACDA. Centro's goal is to purchase the building and the property, and with that in mind we are navigating a new landscape of analysis and funding, while working with LACDA to ensure Centro de Niños and the services we offer the community stay in place. Centro is more than a child development center, it is an innovative, caring site filled with inspired educators and administrators working to provide needed social, emotional, learning, academic readiness, advocacy skills, and opportunities to learn about new technologies. We operate with the highest standards in mind, and year after year are rewarded with excellent marks from the State of California. Please join us as we strive to ensure that the pre-school children of East Los Angeles will have Centro to serve them for the next fifty years.
Partnerships
The Los Angeles County Development Authority (LACDA) has been a partner with Centro for more than 40 years. LACDA provided property and buildings for Centro's current site which include four full classrooms and several age-appropriate Outdoor spaces that continue to expand. LACDA owns the property that Centro resides on and is working with Centro to ensure that generations of children will continue to receive exceptional, low to no cost child development services. When they graduate, Centro students are ready academically, emotionally and socially to tackle their future, outcomes that would not be possible without LACDA.
Educational & Community Partners
Through Centro's educational affiliation with NASA, Centro has ensured the children have access to educational games, literature and play that reflect their growing knowledge of STEM. Centro has brought in needed services such as medical and dental providers so that the children may access quality health care on site. The administration works to provide on site enrichment opportunities such as a mobile aquarium, petting zoo and cultural music groups along with a robust parent education program to provide parenting skill support and enrichment to their community. Centro has additionally worked to provide information to parents on advocacy skills so they may successfully access needed available government services.
Centro was an early adopter of Earth Day celebrations and developed several programs that sought to heighten awareness of the environment, such as assisting in marking drains in Los Angeles to let citizens know how they drain to the ocean and planning community wide beach clean ups.