By LINDA CHION KENNEY
Perky and bright and dressed in seasonal style, students from Prodigy Early Learning Center at Creekside in Riverview gathered for a holiday performance at the community in which a new Prodigy recently opened.
The students were in attendance at the Winthrop Christmas Tree Lighting and Holiday Market, presented by Winthrop town founders John and Kay Sullivan, with co-host support from the Central Hillsborough County Chamber of Commerce.
There as well, students from the newly opened Prodigy Early Learning Center at Winthrop stepped out on stage with a musical performance of their own.
Students and helpers from Prodigy Early Learning Center at Creekside in Riverview are all smiles at the tree lighting in Winthrop.
“We have multiple Prodigy locations in Florida, including one in south Riverview and one now in Winthrop,” said Claudia Vanegas, director of Prodigy ELC in Creekside, opened now for its fourth year.
Like Creekside, Winthrop opened for preschool only. As for Creekside, “this is our first year opened for kindergarten and first grade, so we’re doing amazing,” Vanegassaid. “We’ll add a grade every year, eventually to grade 5.”
Vanegas said she helps manage multiple Prodigy locations, and that as a mother she was drawn to Prodigy and its curriculum.
“I always worked in the school district, in the management area, and once I became a mom, I decided to go into early childhood education, which I fell in love with,” Vanegas said. “The only reason I’m still at Prodigy, and that I love Prodigy so much, is because of its curriculum. It gives kids the freedom to learn what they want to learn, and it’s not all pencil and paper.”
Lauren Cory is a VPK teacher at Prodigy Early Learning Center at Winthrop, which opened in August. She said she loves the Prodigy curriculum, which as advertised, is “modeled on the developmental and constructivist approaches inspired by the work of the most influential child psychologists in history,” including “Maria Montessori, Jean Piaget, Lev Vygotsky and Loris Malaguzzi.”
“We get to have culinary events, we get to go to the art room and we do yoga,” Cory said. “We also do lots of learning.”
As noted by company officials, Prodigy is “committed to the development of the whole child, instilling in them a robust sense of self-confidence to navigate new experiences and the challenges of a rapidly evolving world.” With “hands-on activities using imagination and creativity, we see all the amazing work” students create, Vanegas added, “and we see them develop and grow into these amazing learners.”
Linda Chion Kenney PHOTOS
On the Winthrop tree lighting event stage, students from Prodigy Early Learning Center at Creekside perform with their helpers.
Moreover, Vanegas said she “loves helping families,” and that she believes in “collaboration and partnership with families.” Indeed, she added, “I make them part of my family.”
According to Vanegas, there are 13 Prodigy learning centers nationwide, including two in Riverview (including Winthrop) and five others statewide (in South Florida, West Palm Beach, and in Pasco and Osceola counties). More will open in Hillsborough County, she added, including in the Wimauma/Ruskin area.
Owned by Red Apple Education, the Prodigy centers are part of Charter Schools USA (CSUSA). “We’re the private entity of USUSA Charter schools,” Vanegassaid. Overall, CSUSA officials say they operate more than 90 schools across four states, including Winthrop Charter School, at 6204 Scholars Hill Lane in Riverview.
Students and their leaders from the newly opened Winthrop Prodigy Early Learning Center in Riverview pose in front of a lighted Christmas tree.
Winthrop Charter School is a tuition-free public charter school, serving students in kindergarten through grade 8. Winthrop College Prep Academy, also a CSUSA charter school, serves students in grades 9 through 12, at 12802 U.S. Highway 301.
“You will see a Prodigy Early Learning Center always next to a [CSUSA] charter school,” Vanegas said. “So, here at Winthrop, they have the Prodigy ELC right next to the Winthrop Charter School and Winthrop [middle school building]. And the same with us. We have the Creekside Charter School right next to the Prodigy at Creekside.”
Prodigy ELC at Creekside is at 14044 South U.S. Highway 301. Creekside Charter Academy is at 14020 U.S. Highway 301.
For more, visit www.prodigyepperson.com/.