Marine Corps Sergeant Visits Preschool

First Sergeant Christopher A Piazza, of the United States Marine Corps, recently visited the Little Sprouts Early Learning Center to read several children’s books as part of the center’s Celebrity Reader program. “The Celebrity Reader program was a great way for me to meet and interact with the children of Sussex County,” said Piazza. “As Marines we often find ourselves on bases and stations away from our home, and it is always good to build a sense of community wherever we are.” Piazza is currently stationed at Picatinny Arsenal in Morris County, New Jersey.

The Little Sprouts Early Learning Center is operated by Project Self-Sufficiency, a local non-profit agency which offers a wide variety of services to families in northwestern New Jersey. The daycare and preschool facility features separate classrooms for each age group, from infants through those entering preschool. Fully-qualified teachers are available in each classroom and the child-teacher ratio adheres to or exceeds state standards. In addition to the sparkling classrooms, there is an all-purpose room for active indoor play and parent presentations, as well as a sick room for those children who may fall ill during the day. The center is equipped with two separate playgrounds, one for younger tots and one for older children. Each room has new equipment, as well as learning centers for dramatic play, computers, science, housekeeping, sand and water play, reading, and music.

The Little Sprouts Early Learning Center is located at 127 Mill Street in Newton. The center offers space for 83 youngsters, ages 6 weeks to 6 years. For more information visit the center’s website, www.littlesproutsearlylearningcenter.org or call 973-940-3540.